Gel advice..

Owain · #1 10th May 08, 09:32 PM

Hi all,
Just looking for some last minute advice about gels, should I just take it straight from the pouch and then wash it down with water or should I mix it with water and sip at it?

O.

ed_m · #2 10th May 08, 09:55 PM

the former.... if you can stand it

Owain · #3 10th May 08, 09:57 PM

Hmmmm, ok

I will give it a go......out on a half marathon run tomoz so might try and see if it helps......what do people do with the empty packet after eating/drinking/slurping the gel....

O.

*Trinity* · #4 10th May 08, 10:00 PM

what gels are you using?

Owain · #5 10th May 08, 10:03 PM

The ones I have just now are called PowerBar, its a Black current flavour gel with suggested usage of "One pouch every 20 - 45 minutes during excercise with 400ml Water" but it doesnt say about how to take it, dilute it in water or just slurp it out the pouch.

O.

*Trinity* · #6 10th May 08, 10:08 PM

ok... well, straight out the pouch directly followed with water, so if you're not carrying water then you'll need to take a gel at a drink station.

Just for future reference, you don't need to take water with SiS gels, but it's all down to personal preferance

Good luck!

Owain · #7 10th May 08, 10:09 PM

Cheers, I will be carrying water on me because I think its going to be a hot one tomorrow! It also means I don't need to slow down for the water station.....really want to get the 1/2 marathon done in under 2 hours tomorrow but we will see......

O.

*Trinity* · #8 11th May 08, 06:42 AM

ok, good luck

I'm off to do Tewkesbury half today

Katten · #9 11th May 08, 01:24 PM

Good luck, Owain

I usually just consider the 400ml of water as "advice" and ignore it so long as I take on water regularly during a race. Trying to drink that much in one go while running is a tad hard for me. Also, one gel every 20 minutes would give me sugar overload after about... 25 minutes...

But everyone develops their own system that works

Best of luck in Tewkesbury, Trin

Owain · #10 11th May 08, 02:29 PM

NEVER AGAIN!!!!!

I can honestly say I am not going to take a power gel again, Im going to need to find something but not gels! 45 mins in to the race and I thought, right, I will take my gel now....so, there I am taking my gel thinking it tastes OK, then BANG, really bad pain just behind my rib, it wasnt a stitch (I don't think) and it took my breath away so much so that I had to go to a walk....eventually the pain went away and I got running again but then a stitch came in, I ran through that and I was fine but it has to be the gel.....it was in a matter of seconds of taking it. Wasnt nice!

I had taken the gels before but not in a race enviroment, only when out doing long runs and probably a slightly slower pace.

A mars bar or something like that will need to do the job for the edinburgh marathon or I will mix up a energy drink to take with me.

O.

scr8pe · #11 11th May 08, 02:40 PM

Surely if you've loaded your energy up in the day or so before the race, all you need is water at the stations.

I never take water with me on my normal runs and force myself to take it in races and never ever waste any time or money on 'sports drinks'. You're experience has re affirmed this for me. Thanks!

ed_m · #12 11th May 08, 02:43 PM

oh and by the way.. never try something for the first time on race day..

bit late now.

Owain · #13 11th May 08, 02:52 PM

I had tried them before and not have any issues with them, but this was the first time in a race scenario.......

O.

*Trinity* · #14 11th May 08, 03:49 PM

maybe it was just that gel that didn't suit you. You could try the gels that you don't need water with... they work for me

The good thing about gels as opposed to 'food' such as mars bar etc, is that you don't have to chew and the body can get to work with it straight away

Owain · #15 11th May 08, 04:01 PM

I might give that ago.....I will need something for the full marathon but I don't want to go through that again!

O.