Do runners really need gel?

kristinegift

I only use gels when I'm doing my longest training runs for a half-marathon, so usually when its 8+ miles. And I'll eat 1-2 shot blocks, which isn't even a full serving technically. It just gives me a boost for the end when I'm starting to get tired. Definitely not necessary for shorter distances though; shorter distances rely more on hydration than anything else imo.

scottb81

*Thinking* I was probably dehydrated before the run rather than needing liquid during the course - however I suspect that someone doing a 10K in similar conditions in over an hour is going to need water!

Not necessarily. Tim Noakes just wrote a book called "Waterlogged" which dispels a lot of the myths of hydration being perpetrated by the performance beverages companies. It was excerpted in Running Times this month and it was a very interesting read. To sum it up, the body can lose a LOT of fluid over time with no impact on performance. Drinking during a race turns out to be more of a want than a need.

To expand on this, glycogen is stored in the body at a 1:3 ratio. So, for every gram of glycogen burned for energy, 3 grams of water are released back into the body for other uses. Because of this, someone exercising needs to drink a lot less water than they think they need.

jcmartin0313

The "old" rule is/ was 30-60 grams of carbohydrates per hour of exercise. One gel typically contains 20-30 grams of carbs so based on that rule you would need 1-2 gels per hour. There are many studies about nutrition during exercise, some stick pretty close to this "old" rule and other departs suggesting carb intakes upwards of 120 grams per hour and others suggesting less carbs and more protein. Rather than thinking about how many gels over a given distance, I would say you might consider 1 gel per hour of training if you so desire. I do not see where it can hurt you, but if you have sufficient glycogen stores from proper pre-run nutrition (I usually do not) than it may be unnecessary calories. Practically speaking, I have friends who are Ironman triathletes and have run the Boston Marathon who really emphasize pre-race nutrition and I do not know if they even use gels during their races.

PuffedMummy

Great post.

PuffedMummy

I burn about 15 calories per minute running an 8 minute mile. At this speed I would take a Gel at about 7 miles, knowing that I would start to feel the impact around mile 8 - i.e about 960 Calories into the race. I would then Gel about every 30 minutes/4 miles/450 calories - so in a half marathon I would take my second gel at around mile 11.

Gels are about 80 calories, which means that I'm still getting a significant amount of my energy from my body's reserves: I'm just supplementing some 'easy' calories as my sugar (carb) reserves will be depleted but I will still have plenty of energy stored as fat, which is harder to process but still perfectly valid.


An alternative strategy for me is to take a sports energy drink (I use High Five 2:1) which is about 200 calories in 500 ml of water. This spreads the calorie consumption more evenly across the run, but has two disadvantages: when its hot you either get through it too fast or have to alternate with water... its a lot to think about. Also, carrying liquid means carrying weight - so you are sometimes better to use water stations.

In cooler weather I tend to use sports energy drinks - when it gets hotter I go with gels.

Note: when its hot I still carry about 500ml of sports hydration drink (i.e. electrolytes with 0 calories) This is really important on longer races as you will sweat out a lot of vital minerals & salts.


By the way - in training I normally just take the sports energy drink for up to 18 miles but carry a couple of gels in case I have a bad day (everyone has them occasionally) - conditions (heat & humidity) dramatically impact how you feel and I have had days where a steady 10K run in the heat has wiped me out completely: And I do twice that distance as a minimum on my weekly long run.


Oh yes - and I normally eat a Clif bar for breakfast 2hrs before any run (195 cals and very compact: I hate feeling bloated when running)

Anyway,

Paulwgun - it sounds like your situation is slightly different again. I would say that under normal circumstances people don't need any sort of energy supplement for a 10K distance but as you are at around 250lb (Congratulations on the 62lb loss by the way!) and will be exercising for about an hour and a half it might make sense to take something, although its not strictly necessary. I recommend taking an energy drink rather than gels for all the reasons mentioned above. If you think you need more than 500ml and want to carry it with you rather than using drinks stations I suggest you dilute the drink more so you have the same number of calories in it total. Staying hydrated through the race will have a far bigger impact on a race this length than an energy drink will.

Great post.

Symphony2

Don't worry. You don't need to think about gels for anything less than half a marathon - and not even then!! Entirely optional. Unless it's hot weather you don't even need to drink water on a 5k. It's more important to hydrate beforehand - once you're thirsty it's actually too late - so drink up beforehand, enjoy your runs and ignore gels until you're contemplating your first fast half-marathon. Otherwise, they're pointless and won't start replacing anything until after you've finished running anyway lol

Quit worrying about what to drink, what to eat, what time to run etc. and just ENJOY YOUR RUNS! It's the best feeling in the world to complete a run, breathe that air, love Nature and refresh the mind. Everything else just gets in the way. Run free and smile!