Forums >Health and Nutrition>Gu and Gas Pains?
Does this happen to anyone? Was it the Gu? Was it the long run on saturday (8 miles is long for me these days). the same thing happened a few weeks ago when i did a 7.5 mile run + gu. it's fine while running, but as soon as i'm done...my gut is crampy for ~24 hours.
Also, what do you all say to the many different brands of energy gels? Gu, hammerhead? +/- caffeine?
Gu brand tends to bug me more than Power Gel or Hammer, though I really have no idea why. It's unfortunate because I prefer the taste of the Gu! I tend to stick with Power Gel for reasons of sheer convenience--they're readily available at my local Kroger. I'm also experimenting with making my own gels, with this article as a starting point, but that's because I'm a nut.
Is there anything else you eat before long runs that's not typical for you otherwise? If I have *anything* remotely high in fiber before a long run, I wind up miserable for about two days.
"When a person trains once, nothing happens. When a person forces himself to do a thing a hundred or a thousand times, then he certainly has developed in more ways than physical. Is it raining? That doesn't matter. Am I tired? That doesn't matter, either. Then willpower will be no problem." Emil Zatopek
Why is it sideways?
Good news for you: there's no need to take Gu or gels or anything like that for runs of less than 90 minutes.
Surprised that an ultra-processed "food" would give you stomach problems? Yes, this happens to a lot of folks. Don't torture yourself. They're totally unnecessary.
While I agree with Jeff, the question I would have is when in the run are you taking the gu, what are you taking them with, what else are you taking, and what was your effort level like for those runs?
Hmm, i tend on my long runs to go after a real breakfast, which is usually cereal or oatmeal, and definitely high fiber. So perhaps that is the culprit.
As for no need to take gu for runs less than 90 minutes...maybe that is the case for you, but I can train harder when I do, and feel better about my run. I am also currently nursing, and don't want to starve myself or my child, so try to keep the calories and energy up.
I took the gu about halfway through the run, with some water. i drank probably 10 ounces of water throughout the run. um, how do i describe effort. I would say i was at a good effort level, i felt perfectly fine afterward, except for the gut cramping, and could have easily kept going.
So you took one gel. About 100 calories.
Honestly, I don't know that there's heavy significance of 100 calories over 8 miles either in terms of performance or the potential for biffing your nursing. However, it's alright. I don't think it was the cause of cramping. Look at your brefass for that.
Howeverhowever, I think it is ok to test out gels on shorter runs so you can find out if/how you want to use them at your race. Because if gu IS the cause of your tummy discomfort, you want to learn that after an 8 miler and not at M16 of your race.
But again, gel is not popeye's spinach.
Could be that you ran too hard, but doesn't sound like the likely culprit. I'd guess that breakfast, possibly combined with effort could cause the issues.
Only other thought is that there's something specific in Gu that doesn't agree with you. Have you tried other options?
You don't need caffeine in them.
As for no need to take gu for runs less than 90 minutes...maybe that is the case for you.
It is the case for everyone, but I think we have different definitions of the word "need." If the boost you get from the gel is worth the cramping, by all means continue. But, if you want, you might try running a longer run without taking a gel and see if that helps.
not bad for mile 25
New product idea! (In a Gu-pouch, not a can)
old woman w/hobby
i know that oatmeal gives me terrible gas.
mta: i don't think that the gu will affect your nursing one way or the other
steph
Indeed. But they say beer is helpful (probably not during a run).
Not making light of your question, Steph. I think it's just the mood I'm in.
OK, so it seems like consensus is:
high fiber breakfast before run = bad idea
Energy gel not necessary on runs <90 mins. Which i guess I don't really understand. How does one determine that cutoff. and does 77 minutes of running with a jogging stroller (and baby) warrant a gu? And I guess I agree that I want to train similar to how i race (ie the gu, not the jogging stroller). And clearly the 100 calories isn't going to affect breastfeeding, but if it helps me get through the training run how i want without collapsing at the end, so i can still take care of my kid...then i think it's "affecting" it.
Maybe it helps just due to placebo, and I don't have a problem with that. Maybe I just need a placebo to help with the gas.
Honestly, I don't think anyone is specifically telling you that you should never take calories for a run under 90 minutes, but that, from a strictly physiological standpoint, it is not generally necessary. Of course, there are mitigating factors that go into it, such as effort level, and how much you've been eating in the hours and days leading up to each run.
Your question is whether or not the Gu could be causing you GI distress after your run. The answer is that it is not the most likely culprit, but it could be a contributing factor. For some of us, we would experiment with that notion by doing a similar distance run without the Gu to see what the overall effect is.
I think your caloric intake prior to the run is a bigger issue, depending on how soon before running you're eating, but it also sounds like your effort level is fairly high during these runs, which may lead you to have an increased desire or need for calories during the run. You might benefit from backing off the effort level as well.
Awesome
Jeff -
What do you use for long run fueling, if anything?