[elliot22]

Do people find that these work and improve your performance and time?
If so, how many and when would you have them before and during a race?

 

[BASE813]

These do not help to improve your performance and time by themselves...

 

[dimple]

and I think they taste yuk, and to me they don't make any difference.

 

[matt84uk]

Not ideal. A few jelly beans in your pocket should do the trick. Take one every 20mins or so.

 

[Grant]

I've never tried energy tablets, but did take energy gels on my long runs when training for the marathon last year. I timed taking the energy gels with every other water station on the course, so took one every 10km.

I don't bother with gels/tablets the rest of the time, just water on the longer runs of 8-10miles or more.

 

[unicycleboy]

I don't really like energy tablets for running, not sure why just seemed to make me cough rather. But I have used them while hiking and found they did make a difference, but the effect didn't seem to last long at all.

 

[richardsimkiss]

it's basically just simple sugars that'll give you a short burst of energy when energy levels are low on longer duration runs etc... you'd never notice a difference in short distances but in marathons etc it would probably mean the difference between hitting 'the wall' and not... which would have a massive effect on your finish time.

In reference to the last comment, I should add that I don't mean energy tablets must be eaten during a marathon, you could eat a whole number of substitutes (gels, jelly beans etc), but some form or nutrition/energy source in general would be desireable to avoid hitting the wall.

 

[Granty]

Jelly babies work well for me :d