Energy Gel
adreal
Posts: 229 Member
I came across some Gu Enery Gel the other day and wanted to throw this out there to see if anyone has had any sucess with it. I have been running and trying to up my mileage but I feel that about mile 4 I start to lose my energy. Does anyone use any energy gels to get them a boost or is it a waste of money and time.
Thanks.
Thanks.
0
Replies
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I don't like Gu because of the consistency of it. My husband uses Gu and loves it. I use the Cliff Shot Blocks and the Jelly Belly energy beans. I just like those better but I know a ton of people that really like the Gu. Again for me...it grosses me out. HAA
Here is how I use them:
Just before run
Mile 4.5-5
Mile 9.5-10
Mile 14.5-15
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Right now I am using Cardio Igniter to start out my work outs. But I have found that the longer I run the more it seems to wear off. I dont know if I am getting a tolerance to it or what. but ran across the gels and wasnt sure if it really helped or not. I will look into those and see what I like. I dont do well with weird consistancies either.0
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I use gu and love it but I can see how the thickness could be off putting for some.0
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Running out of energy 4 miles in could just be a sign your fitness isn't up to the task just yet.
Generally you can go a few hours before needing to "refuel" with these things. Depends on what your goals are though. For an all-day event (Ironman, or Ultramarathon) you want to start taking them with regularity early on. For a shorter event like a marathon you may or may not not need any at all (but most people like to take a few).
Shorter than that you probably won't need anything.0 -
I use in energy gels in races longer than a half marathon, but quite honestly at four miles, you really shouldn't need one. Either there is something in your overall nutrition that is off, or you are developing a mental block about it.0
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It really is all about finding what works for you. I do think that any type of those products do work. I could be among the strange...I also hate bananas so post race I reach for the bagel and almond butter. HA
*oh and my husband loves the salted caramel and chocolate peanut butter. In case you wanted a suggestion.
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Oh and to add: using them for fueling a race requires training it. Personally I aim for 300 calories per hour whenever I am doing long training days (3+ hours) so that on race day I can handle the calorie input.0
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when I ran (1 marathon 2 1/2 marathon or cross counried ski LONG) I would use a gel after an hour of exercise to keep me going. You should have enough energy reserves to get you through your first hour. After using gels awhile I switched to the sport jelly beans-better tasting. Also remember to take water with your gel/beans as your body needs it to digest them.
so NO for a 4 mile run and yes for 10k or whatever an hour run is for you.0 -
i see prof. football players having it on the sidelines but don't have any exp. with it myself.0
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when I ran (1 marathon 2 1/2 marathon or cross counried ski LONG) I would use a gel after an hour of exercise to keep me going. You should have enough energy reserves to get you through your first hour. After using gels awhile I switched to the sport jelly beans-better tasting. Also remember to take water with your gel/beans as your body needs it to digest them.
so NO for a 4 mile run and yes for 10k or whatever an hour run is for you.
Well - not even for a 10k since that is over after about an hour... You only really need to use these things when you are going WAY longer than an hour.0 -
when I ran (1 marathon 2 1/2 marathon or cross counried ski LONG) I would use a gel after an hour of exercise to keep me going. You should have enough energy reserves to get you through your first hour. After using gels awhile I switched to the sport jelly beans-better tasting. Also remember to take water with your gel/beans as your body needs it to digest them.
so NO for a 4 mile run and yes for 10k or whatever an hour run is for you.
Well - not even for a 10k since that is over after about an hour... You only really need to use these things when you are going WAY longer than an hour.
This is true. You can usually make it 2-3 hours before really needing one...and even then its not totally necessary. Training runs of up to 20 miles I will do without anything. In a marathon I will take one gel every 6 miles as a boost. Anything longer than a 50k and we're talking about introducing solid food, which is a whole other thing. For a 10k or a half...they are pretty unnecessary. Its not like its going to hurt you, but its not needed.0 -
La5Vega5Girl wrote: »i see prof. football players having it on the sidelines but don't have any exp. with it myself.
I once saw an empty gel package on a trail.
(Hope OP finds this information helpful too.)0 -
I am still working on my pace and time. I do have asthma so that coupled with the cold hurts my first mile and I find it hard to keep my energy after fighting to breathe. I do not have as many problems when the air is above 40. Anything under that and i work a bit harder. I was just looking for something to help me push a little harder.0
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I had a quick peek at your diary and suspect I can see part of the problem.......you need more carbs. Running longer distances requires the ability to store glycogen in your liver and muscle tissue for later use......if you're not eating enough carbs it's hard for your body to store them.
Typically runners will consume 55 to 60% of their calories from carbs. There's no need for gels or supplements like Cardio Igniter (I had a look at that and wouldn't waste my money on it). With proper nutrition your body can easily store enough glycogen to see you through 90 to 120 minutes of running.
As your distances increase consider making your own "gel". Mine is a combination of honey, molasses , a pinch of salt and a bit of water to thin it out and a gel flask holds the equivalent of about 6 gels. Pennies per serving and no gel packs to become litter.0 -
I am still working on my pace and time. I do have asthma so that coupled with the cold hurts my first mile and I find it hard to keep my energy after fighting to breathe. I do not have as many problems when the air is above 40. Anything under that and i work a bit harder. I was just looking for something to help me push a little harder.
Your problem sounds like more of a cardio/endurance problem rather than a fueling problem. GU is just carbohydrates. It's not a magical performance enhancer. Sounds like you probably just need to spend some time building up your mileage base.0 -
@BrianSharpe I have been working this week to increase my calories and reach my 1500 calorie goal. I also tend to run on an empty stomach. This past Saturday I did eat a peanut butter sandwich before running since I knew I was going to try 5 miles. I can see where the crb intake will help. Do you find this is a boost over a few days or just overall changes?
@sjohnny it for sure is an endurance issue. I have been working hard for a few months to get my mileage up. I am still at a 11:30 to 12 minute mile and still have to walk some. I think running with a limp is going to slow me down but I am determined to do it. Just not sure if there is anything that will boost my energy.0 -
ThickMcRunFast wrote: »when I ran (1 marathon 2 1/2 marathon or cross counried ski LONG) I would use a gel after an hour of exercise to keep me going. You should have enough energy reserves to get you through your first hour. After using gels awhile I switched to the sport jelly beans-better tasting. Also remember to take water with your gel/beans as your body needs it to digest them.
so NO for a 4 mile run and yes for 10k or whatever an hour run is for you.
Well - not even for a 10k since that is over after about an hour... You only really need to use these things when you are going WAY longer than an hour.
This is true. You can usually make it 2-3 hours before really needing one...and even then its not totally necessary. Training runs of up to 20 miles I will do without anything. In a marathon I will take one gel every 6 miles as a boost. Anything longer than a 50k and we're talking about introducing solid food, which is a whole other thing. For a 10k or a half...they are pretty unnecessary. Its not like its going to hurt you, but its not needed.
Even though for runs up to 20 miles I don't *need* the gel, I use one every 5-6 miles anyway. It is part of the training.
For 5+ hour events I start training the 300cal/hour thing because it can be hard to take in that many calories at that rate while exerting. For that I use Hammer Perpetuem in powder form made into a thick slurry. 1000 calories in a standard bike bottle. That's all I need for the bike leg of a Half Iron. For a full Iron race I'll carry another 1000 calories of gels in a bento box on the bike. Then in T2 I always keep more gels to put in my pocket once running. 4 of them for a half, 9 for a full.0 -
I love GUs! I have one approximately every 45 minutes while running (so if you're running 11-12 minute miles, that sounds like about every 4 miles!). I don't eat a ton of carbs in my daily diet, so I definitely feel that I need to consume energy gels with this frequency.
It's very individual. Don't know why everyone on here is saying that just because they don't need them, or they do their fueling differently, you should too.
Here's an article for you! http://running.competitor.com/2014/07/nutrition/everything-you-need-to-know-about-energy-gels_44642/10 -
ThickMcRunFast wrote: »when I ran (1 marathon 2 1/2 marathon or cross counried ski LONG) I would use a gel after an hour of exercise to keep me going. You should have enough energy reserves to get you through your first hour. After using gels awhile I switched to the sport jelly beans-better tasting. Also remember to take water with your gel/beans as your body needs it to digest them.
so NO for a 4 mile run and yes for 10k or whatever an hour run is for you.
Well - not even for a 10k since that is over after about an hour... You only really need to use these things when you are going WAY longer than an hour.
This is true. You can usually make it 2-3 hours before really needing one...and even then its not totally necessary. Training runs of up to 20 miles I will do without anything. In a marathon I will take one gel every 6 miles as a boost. Anything longer than a 50k and we're talking about introducing solid food, which is a whole other thing. For a 10k or a half...they are pretty unnecessary. Its not like its going to hurt you, but its not needed.
Even though for runs up to 20 miles I don't *need* the gel, I use one every 5-6 miles anyway. It is part of the training.
For 5+ hour events I start training the 300cal/hour thing because it can be hard to take in that many calories at that rate while exerting. For that I use Hammer Perpetuem in powder form made into a thick slurry. 1000 calories in a standard bike bottle. That's all I need for the bike leg of a Half Iron. For a full Iron race I'll carry another 1000 calories of gels in a bento box on the bike. Then in T2 I always keep more gels to put in my pocket once running. 4 of them for a half, 9 for a full.
Yeah, for marathons I run fasted (but only because I've done enough that I know how my system reacts to the gels - and I only ever use one kind). For ultra training I will eat more, a gel every 45 minutes, or some other food (often Red Vines, or a slurry I make of peanut butter, honey, and mashed bananas that I carry in a pastry bag and just squeeze into my mouth) and Hammer Perpetuem as well, although the most I can handle is 2 scoops in my handheld. I've always had problems with solid food and running, but it is getting better.0 -
I have never been able to do solid while moving. Well anything more solid than those Cliff Blocks or Gu Chomp things. 2 scoops of Perpetuem is only 270 calories. I will put in (ugh) 8... Getting about 1000 calories in there. It doesn't taste very good, but it's the most compact way I know of getting that many calories in a format I can consume while riding.0
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allieallieoxenfree wrote: »I love GUs! I have one approximately every 45 minutes while running (so if you're running 11-12 minute miles, that sounds like about every 4 miles!). I don't eat a ton of carbs in my daily diet, so I definitely feel that I need to consume energy gels with this frequency.
It's very individual. Don't know why everyone on here is saying that just because they don't need them, or they do their fueling differently, you should too.
Here's an article for you! http://running.competitor.com/2014/07/nutrition/everything-you-need-to-know-about-energy-gels_44642/1
Mostly because we have all been there. Many of us used to think that way; that we needed a gel every 45 minutes for even short runs. It simply isn't so.0 -
I only tend to use GUs for runs that are longer than 8 miles or so. During my half marathon (or runs close to 13mi in length), I take a GU at around 4.5mi and 9-9.5mi.
You're just going to need to find a routine that works for you.0 -
I really like the power bar gels. I just find that they give me boosted energy but upsets my stomach but if you drink water after taking the shot it helps.0
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brendalav21 wrote: »I really like the power bar gels. I just find that they give me boosted energy but upsets my stomach but if you drink water after taking the shot it helps.
Oh definitely. You should always get water in you soon after these things. When I am racing I always wait for my scheduled gel until the next aid station is in sight so I can get water right after I have the gel (and have a legitimate place to drop the packet)0 -
I think I am going to work on my mileage some and see how I feel when I get into longer runs. I have a goal of running a half by October.0
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I don't like the gu because the consistency of it. It's like forcing yourself to swallow toothpaste. I do like the gel blocks and sport beans. They do give me an energy boost. I take them around an hour in.0
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I think I am going to work on my mileage some and see how I feel when I get into longer runs. I have a goal of running a half by October.
Good luck and keep at it! 10 months is a long way off to keep a goal so don't lose sight of it! You are on the right track, and this forum is a great place to get advice.
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Try the GU and see. It's not like it will kill you if you take one and don't need it. Lol! I think the Honey Stinger ones taste better.
I use them for when I am going to be going for 2 hours or more and then I have one at an hour and about every hour after. So - FOR ME - I find them helpful during a half marathon, b/c it takes me 3 hours to complete one. I did a Spartan Sprint last year and I felt so silly eating my GU. Afraid everyone was thinking: "Look at the fat girl eating a snack!" (Of course, I know no one cared or was even looking at me.) But if I hadn't had them with me, I would not have finished.
A 5k or 10k... I don't use them. I did a sprint distance triathlon a couple years ago and did not use anything for that, either.0 -
I agree with the suggestion that you might need more carbs in your overall diet. Also, perhaps avoid running on an empty stomach. Something small but solid should help. On the rare time when I feel I need something during a run (12 miles or longer), I've used something simple like Welch's fruit snacks.0
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I came across some Gu Enery Gel the other day and wanted to throw this out there to see if anyone has had any sucess with it. I have been running and trying to up my mileage but I feel that about mile 4 I start to lose my energy. Does anyone use any energy gels to get them a boost or is it a waste of money and time.
Thanks.
I did 14 yesterday with no water/drinks or gels*. That said I did bring two along with me just in case I felt like I needed a boost. My preference is the high caffeine gels. I like the caffeine more than anything. I only take Cliff gels except for the salted caramel shot that GU has. Man, that's one tasty snack.
They don't really become a factor for me unless I'm past 13 miles. Then I might take one, or two, or none depending on how I feel that day.
*I didn't bring anything with me but I did have some cold coffee and a Kit-Kat bar before. Mmmm, chocolate and coffee.0
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