RunningAHEAD - Topic: GU

amarrin1

posted: 9/28/2008 at 10:54 PM

does any tried GU energy packets? I just want to know if they actually work and if they are worth buying...

dgb2n

Dave

posted: 9/28/2008 at 11:07 PM

They do work but unless you are doing runs in excess of 90-120 minutes, you are probably better off without them. They are an easily digestable form of energy that can help performance over very long distances. Some have caffeine and that may give you a boost. Many marathon runners will use some in training to make their they can digest them without upsetting their stomach and then 2 to as many as 6 on race day. I never use one on anything less than 13 miles or so.

I ran a mile and I liked it, liked it, liked it.

dgb2n@yahoo.com

Large Old Runner

Old, Slow, Happy

posted: 9/29/2008 at 6:47 AM

I have used them when I ran my HMs. They seem to work well for me. I only use them during races. My son, who runs many very long distances (see RustinSPE), has stomach trouble when he uses them. I think he should only use 1/3 or 1/2 at a time. I guess I've put too many nasty things in my stomach as I got older. They don't bother me. I think you will feel more energy at the end of your long races if you use them.

Trent

Good Bad & The Monkey

posted: 9/29/2008 at 8:45 AM

Among the energy gels, GU is my favorite and the one I find to be most easily digested. But I rarely use energy gels except on 20+ milers and in marathons.

I'm running somewhere tomorrow. It's going to be beautiful. I can't wait.

Poor baby

Scout7

posted: 9/29/2008 at 8:50 AM

Don't like 'em, don't use 'em.

Berner

posted: 9/29/2008 at 11:38 AM

I've tried five or six brands, and have settled on the Powerbar Gels as best for me. Do they work? Yeah, but its kind of a strange question. Its food, so of course it works. You don't ask if a sandwich works -- a sandwich just is. The gels provide a more easily digestible format with a more convenient packaging, but the bottom line is simply carbs and salt. Plus maybe some caffeine. And yes, on runs longer than 2 hours, getting some carbs, salt and maybe caffeine, can help your performance.

How To Run a Marathon: Step 1 - start running. There is no Step 2.

babeba67

posted: 9/29/2008 at 11:53 AM

I used one GU packet (without caffeine) this weekend in a HM. I had experiemented on a couple of long runs with it and wish I would have had water to wash it down. So, I tried to time the GU pack right before the water station about mile 7 in the HM and it worked out better. Could I "feel" the difference? Not initially but I guess psychologically by the end of the race I was glad I had taken it cause I needed every ounce of energy to finish! I also ate a pack of Luna Moons around mile 10 and it seemed like I could feel a bit of a boost in my bloodstream as I chewed them up. Experiment with the GU before a race like others have mentioned to see how your stomach reacts. b

Run To Win

#2867

posted: 9/29/2008 at 2:40 PM

They don't do you much good if you don't drink water with them. The whole idea behind them is that it is a concentrated syrup that you dilute at the water station that can give you a few hundred calories of easily digestible fuel. If you don't dilute it, then it won't be easily digested and it will just sit in your stomach and make you feel not so good.

Run to Win
25 Marathons, 17 Ultras, 16 States (Full List)

sdewan

2010 Goofy Trainee

posted: 10/1/2008 at 11:31 AM

Quote from amarrin1 on 9/28/2008 at 10:54 PM:

does any tried GU energy packets? I just want to know if they actually work and if they are worth buying...

I don't think I'm at a performance level where it would make a tremendous difference to me, although I do typically take a GU or two for training runs exceeding 2 hours. If nothing else, they taste good and give me a quick mental boost when I'm tired and hungry (without taking up much space in my hydration pack). And Espresso Love has 2X the caffeine as the others, so it might also wake me up a bit during my 6AM long runs.

Turn off your mind, relax, and float downstream...

Berner

posted: 10/1/2008 at 12:13 PM
modified: 10/1/2008 at 12:46 PM

Quote from sdewan on 10/1/2008 at 11:31 AM:

I don't think I'm at a performance level where it would make a tremendous difference to me, although I do typically take a GU or two for training runs exceeding 2 hours.

I might have the science wrong here, but I think the gels might actually make more of a difference for someone with a smaller training base. One of the benefits of running a large volume of miles is an increased efficiency in converting fat to energy. In other words, the well trained runner can go farther without carb supplementation because the well trained runner can draw on his secondary fuel tank more easily. The catch-22 is that the way to train your body to convert fat to energy more efficiently is to stress the system by running long and not supplementing with carbs. So even though the gels might help in a race, you might also try to use as few as possible while training for the race in order to encourage your body to make the helpful adaptations.

How To Run a Marathon: Step 1 - start running. There is no Step 2.

NateFromRI

posted: 10/6/2008 at 8:25 AM

I like Gu at long distances. I find that I finish up feeling much better than if I don't use it. If you use it, you won't feel any kind of immediate boost. Instead, it just extends how far you can run without using up all the carbs in your body, so you feel normal for longer. Unless your doing a distance where you will be running up against the limits of your body's reserve of carbohydrate, they won't do much for you.

-------------------------------------
5K - 18:25 - 3/19/11
10K - 39:38 - 12/13/09
1/2 - 1:29:38 - 5/30/10
Full - 3:45:40 - 5/27/07

Ganges Lim

posted: 10/8/2008 at 9:05 PM

i take them as a form of incentive at the half-way mark for any race distance greater than 10km (running). do they work? i don't really care but they do give me a fantastic sugar boost and something to look forward to during the run Big grin

be sure to drink water to wash it down with!

slaptear2

De-slacking in progress

posted: 10/13/2008 at 12:38 PM
modified: 10/13/2008 at 12:39 PM

I bought about 6 different flavored GU brand just to try out to see if it affected my stomach. I started with the Expresso Love (w/2x caffeine) on a 10K run. Normally as soon as I get out of bed I have a cup of tea and nothing else then go out for my run. Right now I'm only building a base of 20mpw so I'm sure it's really not doing much for me. The reason I bought them is my plan for the winter is to build up my long runs to get into at least HM race shape for the spring season.So I wanted to try it out ahead of time and not end up with a upset stomach during the run. However, I sucked down the Espresso Love and washed it down with about 8 oz of water and nothing else. Loved the taste. No ill effects for me at all so I was happy about that. All I can say is that at the end of my easy 10k training run, I did feel like I had more energy and was not drained at all. Didn't even need my post long run nap. So when the day arrives that I'm running 10 miles + on a regular basis, GU brand will be the one I use.

started running @ age 48 [lost 70#+, quit a 30 year pack/day habit>> ran HM] Ran a few years then quit. Gained 70#+ back and smoking like before. Time to get healthy again @ 52 years over with the C25K program and beyond again. RE-start date 1-13-14

GU (Read 962 times)