The lowdown on energy gels

In earlier days, runners relied solely on water, sports drinks, and some flat colas as their primary carbohydrate supplement.

Luckily, we now have a plethora of products that are designed to speed glycogen to our working muscles

One such product is the energy gels

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Supplements

• Previously runners depended on water and sports drinks

• Now energy gels and other carbohydrate supplements are available

Energy Gels

• It will replenish carbohydrate stores that are depleted when running.

• Gels will help the mind feel energized

Usage

• Take gels relatively early into the race

• Always take energy gels with water


Your body uses two primary sources of fuel - fat and carbohydrates.

Fat is broken down into usable energy slowly, making it an ineffective fuel source

Carbohydrates can only store a limited amount in our muscles, so you'll be running out of muscle glycogen very quickly.

Energy gels are designed to replenish carbohydrate stores that are depleted when running





Your performance on race day relies on using the glycogen stored in the muscle

Energy gels help replenish the glycogen and calories you're burning when racing hard.

A gel will wake you up and help the mind feel energized, but it doesn't necessarily prevent the bonk in your legs.





Like almost every facet of running, the timing of when you should take your gels is very individual

Begin taking gels relatively early into the race. So you have a better chance of processing the sugars faster and without stomach issues

Also have a good breakfast, with less simple sugars. This helps you avoid eating nothing but simple sugar for 3-4 hours.





Speed at which you're able to digest and process energy gels plays an important roll in how often you want to take them

Wait about 45-60 minutes between gels before taking another one. This will avoid feeding too much simple sugar into your blood stream at once.

Your digestive track is trainable , so eat gels at set intervals so that you will digest the gel more readily





It's possible that your stomach might shutdown during the latter half of the race.

If this happens, try eating only a small portion of the gel, but in closer intervals

This give your stomach a better chance to properly digest without getting sick





Always take energy gels with water, never alone and never with Gatorade

Without water, energy gels will take longer to digest and enter the blood stream

If you take an energy gel with a sports drink, you run the risk of ingesting too much simple sugar at once





If you have any unique tips and strategies for how to better consume and digest energy gels, please leave a comment at










The lowdown on energy gels

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