The gel packet was just a little smaller than my hand in length, so you got a good amount of gel in the packets. These electrolytes help replace the sodium lost through sweating, ensuring proper fluid balance and preventing dehydration. If you’re struggling to choke down fuel at first, remember that “our stomach is a muscle and it can be trained, just like we train our legs to keep running,” says Baumann.

Gels And How To Use Them In Your Training The Best Running Gels And How To Use Them In Your Training

BCAAs help protect muscles from breakdown during intense exercise, contribute to energy production, and aid in reducing mental fatigue. Electrolyte-enhanced gels - Similar to isotonic gels, these provide added electrolytes to maintain the body’s balance but may require consumption with water if they are not isotonic. Taste test: The flavor will be familiar to anyone who has tried Lucozade’s orange drinks in the past, and the texture is fairly sticky. It’s vital to plan your nutrition for any road race of half-marathon distance or more, and even for shorter trail races if they’re going to last longer than 90 minutes. They are absolutely tiny, but also highly concentrated as a result, and this is one gel I’d definitely recommend testing extensively before any races to ensure your body can handle it.Along with the standard Beta Fuel gel there is a nootropic version, which contains 200mg caffeine, plus other ingredients to help you stay mentally sharp during your endurance events. The combination of fast-acting and long-lasting carbohydrates ensures a steady release of energy, preventing sudden spikes and crashes.

Energy Gels - GU Energy Liquid Energy Gels - GU Energy

The caffeinated flavors of GU Energy Gel provide 20-40 milligrams of caffeine that can give you an energy boost whether you are training for a marathon or completing a tough rowing workout. However, focussing on this alone can result in you carrying a lot of gels – if you run a four-hour marathon, for example, you’ll need 10 or so. You know, those little foil packets that contain roughly 100 calories of nutrients, meant to be consumed midrun (or midrace) to replace the fuel you're expending.Bill Vaughan was on a mission to create a better, more easily-digestible fuel for his ultra-runner daughter to race at the iconic Western States 100.

GU Energy Roctane Gels - GU Energy

But any seasoned half, full, or ultramarathoner knows that ingesting fuel during long runs is imperative if you want to feel and perform your best. Based in Berkeley, Gu created the first energy gel over 20 years ago and have since developed a range that offers the widest variety, best tasting and most nutrient rich hydration, energy and recovery products on the market. Their unique formula of simple and complex carbohydrates, BCAAs and sodium used in all of their nutrition, allows faster absorption and reduces stomach distress.There’s nothing particularly special about the Lucozade Sport gels, which provide 30g of carbs in a serving, sourcing those carbs from a mix of fructose and glucose to maximize the amount you can absorb.