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Honey instead of Gu (Read 815 times)

Mr Inertia


Suspect Zero

    Anyone tried or heard of this? I saw someone doing it during my first marathon. Advantages? Disadvantages? I was thinking of trying it during my 18 mile run tomorrow to see what it was like.
    Tremont


      I've heard of people using honey too. I used brown rice syrup during my recent marathon and it seemed to work fine. I decided against using honey because it's largely fructose and my understanding is that fructose isn't as readily available to muscles during exercise as glucose (as fructose is preferentially metabolized in the liver) and is more likely to cause GI upset. GU is largely maltodextrin which is a glucose polymer (like starches or glycogen, only shorter linear chains). I chose brown rice syrup because it's mostly glucose, maltose (glucose disaccharide), and small glucose polymers (akin to maltodextrin), with no fructose. I also added a little salt to balance sodium and potassium so that they'd be similar to the levels in GU (brown rice syrup is naturally high in potassium), although that probably isn't necessary, and diluted it a little with water so it flows easier. Malt syrup would be essentially identical; brown rice syrup was just easier for me to find (my supermarket carries it). I put it in a little squeeze bottle which I carried in my pocket. I don't know how much any of this matters but probably not a lot. Honey, corn syrup, sugar water, etc. are all probably fine (as is GU or equivalent). I just didn't want to use GU (or any competing products) and like to experiment. Good luck with your experiments!
      Trent


      Good Bad & The Monkey

      mbk


        I used to use Honey Stinger Gel (see Trent's post) and it worked well. Then I decided to cut out the middleman and go right to the source. I put honey in a gel flask and took it out to a 50k trail race. OMG, after the first hit of honey I was nauseous - it was just too sweet. This resulted in one of my slowest 50k times ever because I was unable to take in any calories for most of the race due to nausea. So my suggestion would be Honey Stinger Gel - Yes. Honey - No. If you do decide to experiment with honey do it intelligently and try it in small doses on some training runs first. I don't use Honey Stinger any more because it brings up bad memories of that race, but I used to really like it. Good luck.
          I'm reading the book "Why We Run" (aka something about an antelope - actual former title escapes me) about a science dude/ultramarathoner who tried experimenting with pure honey. Can't recall how much he drank on one of his training runs, but it didn't seem to work out for him. Great book by the way. Not done, so don't tell me how it ends Wink


          You'll ruin your knees!

            Oh, my! I totally read the subject line as "Honey, instead of GU..." Shocked I gotta cut back on my time in the swamp! Roll eyes

            ""...the truth that someday, you will go for your last run. But not today—today you got to run." - Matt Crownover (after Western States)


            Why is it sideways?

              I'm reading the book "Why We Run" (aka something about an antelope - actual former title escapes me) about a science dude/ultramarathoner who tried experimenting with pure honey. Can't recall how much he drank on one of his training runs, but it didn't seem to work out for him. Great book by the way. Not done, so don't tell me how it ends Wink
              Indeed, great book. Hard man.

                E.J.
                Greater Lowell Road Runners
                Cry havoc and let slip the dawgs of war!

                May the road rise to meet you, may the wind be always at your back, may the sun shine warm upon your SPF30, may the rains fall soft upon your sweat-wicking hat, and until you hit the finish line may The Flying Spaghetti Monster hold you in the hollow of His Noodly Appendage.


                A Saucy Wench

                  Oh, my! I totally read the subject line as "Honey, instead of GU..." Shocked I gotta cut back on my time in the swamp! Roll eyes
                  ROFL But as to the first post...I just dont like honey straight...too sweet. My friend who has a serious sweet tooth likes honey for marathons. But he also could mainline sugar all day long and be a happy boy.

                  I have become Death, the destroyer of electronic gadgets

                   

                  "When I got too tired to run anymore I just pretended I wasnt tired and kept running anyway" - dd, age 7

                  BOelrich


                    Buckwheat honey works great. I've used it up to hour two on training runs, then I switch over to CarbBoom for the remainder of my run.