Among the many items a runner might need, there likely comes a time when you’ll end up trying some energy gels. The question is do you need to?
Running less than an hour, unlikely.
If you’re running for an hour or less then the chances are you don’t need a gel and that any benefit of having one would be marginal. We have plenty of stored energy both as glycogen (carbohydrate) in our muscles and fat to get us through an hour of even intense exercise.
When to use energy gels
Typically, the packets suggest you take one every 20 minutes (since most deliver 20g of glucose derived carbs per serving and our body can absorb around 60g of glucose derived carbohydrate every hour). The timing of the first gel makes a difference though, and although a gel every 20 minutes might make some people run for the bathroom, you can train your stomach gradually to cope with more and more intake whilst running. Starting with your first gel at 20 minutes is a good idea.
Start early
As we begin exercise our blood is shifted from our organs and muscles via the vascular shunt mechanism, to ensure enough blood reaches the working muscles. When running this is of course the lower limbs. What do you think is going to happen to your stomach when you pump a gel into it with little blood supply to digest it? Not a lot really. It’ll do very little good as digestion will be very slow, or for those who aren’t used to the specific gel they’ve taken, it may well end up passing through rather quickly.
Have your first gel around 20-25 minutes when your body is adapting, but still has the ability to digest well. This is usually early enough for the body to recognise it needs to leave some blood for the stomach to do it’s job well. Although you might think you want every drop of blood working for your tiring muscles, they’ll tire a lot faster if they don’t get some carbohydrate to work with.
Which brand?
SiS, 33 shake, Torq and High 5 are four of the big brands when it comes to running nutrition and hydration products although some other brands are emerging which have proven popular. My advice would be to experiment with them to see what agrees with your digestion most and what flavours or textures you prefer, then practice with that brand for at least a couple of long runs before race day.
I’ve used SiS for the last few years with no problem. Torq gels took some getting used to in larger quantities due to their fructose content. I got around this be alternating with the SiS gels on long runs and my first marathon.
There are alternatives
You don’t have to use gels. Some people still swear by the classics of orange segments or jelly babies. Others prefer to use carb drinks (these make me feel sick personally) a sports drinks like Luzocade or 50:50 mixture of orange juice with water and a pinch of salt (my preference). There are even sports jelly beans these days which taste pretty good, but can be hard to chew and get out of the packet in my experience. Whilst there are some differences in physiological effectiveness, you’ve got to make the right choice for you and be willing to experiment if you want to improve.
Try out gels, drinks and food then go with what you like best. There is no single correct answer.
Written by Kyle Brooks, Running Coach based in Norwich, Norfolk