Energy Gels and Drinks

They come in bottles and containers. Powders, concentrates, and in little packs. They can flow freely or be a handful of goo. They are the magic potions that are going to keep you going. They are the energy gels and drinks. The market is full of them. Here are a few tips on how to choose what is right for you.



For the gels, taste is very important. They come in many flavors and consistencies. Try them all and remember the ones you like. They are all designed to help restore your depleted energy stores during those long runs. Read the package for the recommended time between refueling. You will need to carry enough (say one shot for every 30 minutes) to get you through that run. Also with the gels, you need to drink water with them. A side note, you may want to carry a little zip lock bag to dispose of the wrappers.



Energy drinks, in my opinion, taste better. Because you are now transporting liquids, there is more weight involve. I recommend a hydration belt. I tried a hydration pack also. For many, the back pack variety is a must. I run a bit hot and like to get some air on my back. I switched to a belt and discovered that it works well for me. Make sure it is comfortable and has enough padding to prevent chaffing your hips while running. I like the type with the four small bottles. Fill one bottle up with a concentrated solution of your favorite powdered energy drink. Fill the rest with water. As you go, you have water. When you need that energy boost, grab 1 water bottle and your concentrate. Squirt both in your month at once to prevent being overpowered by the concentrate. Just keep refilling your water bottles and you are good to go. Try to get a squirt of the concentrate in every mile to keep your running consistent.

There are also gummy energy products now. I like them to give me some variety from the gels. They take some getting used to since you have to chew and run at the same time. When it comes to taste though, they beat the gels.



Try these products on your next long run. I gave them a shot after my first 18 mile run. At the end of the run I found myself dizzy, flat on my back, and not in a good part of town considering it was dark. My first instinct was to drive to the nearest place to eat. I tried the energy gels on my next long run. Not only did I feel great at the end of that 20 miles, I ran that 20 miles about 15 minutes faster than I ran the 18 miles the previous week. BIG difference!

Listen to your body – Use your Oxygen Wisely

I could write several topics on this one. I’m going to focus this article on listening to your body while you are running. Back in my high school days on the cross country team, we took off like hound dogs after a fox. Full speed ahead! That was great for the elite guys. For me, it was a short term success followed by an immediate long term failure. It meant I went into oxygen deprivation in about 100 yards. With three miles to go, this meant I set myself up for a lousy finish.

While training for a marathon I discovered something. I would start out slow. Yes, I said start slow (sorry coach). I would then speed up as my body became accustomed to the activity and started to use oxygen more efficiently. After a few weeks, this was completely natural and only took a mile. I was able to run 1 to 2 minutes per mile faster with ease. Also, my form held for up to 15 miles. That made a huge difference in my enjoyment of the run and the amount of time I had to dedicate to the run.

No one said training for the big run was easy, but you can make it more enjoyable.