Diluting Energy Gels

DustyBin

I find the High5 energy gels a bit tough on my poor tum-tum, so am planning to dilute them with some water
I have one of these:




Which holds 300ml
The energy gels are 38g size

I have a race on Saturday and my original intention was to bring 2 gels with me (Half Marathon). Will putting 2 into this bottle have the same impact?
It's a bit late to be experimenting so I was hoping that I could tap into some of the experience on here

Thanks

TFBubendorfer

Are you sure you need gels at all for a half marathon?

shels4ever

DustyBin wrote: »

I find the High5 energy gels a bit tough on my poor tum-tum, so am planning to dilute them with some water
I have one of these:




Which holds 300ml
The energy gels are 38g size

I have a race on Saturday and my original intention was to bring 2 gels with me (Half Marathon). Will putting 2 into this bottle have the same impact?
It's a bit late to be experimenting so I was hoping that I could tap into some of the experience on here

Thanks

I'm no expert on gels but I think they are designed to be taken together to give you the enegry needs, ie your 38g gels would all be taken at once, so unless your going to drink 300ml in one go I dont think you will get the same results. Might be better with a sports drink and to sip that during the run.

robinph

You just need to wash it down with some water right after taking them. They are not going to have the same effect if you try and mix them as I'd doubt you'd actually take the right amount, if they even would actually mix is another matter as well.

Just coincide your taking of the gels to just before the water stations.

aero2k

shels4ever wrote: »

I'm no expert on gels but I think they are designed to be taken together to give you the enegry needs, ie your 38g gels would all be taken at once, so unless your going to drink 300ml in one go I dont think you will get the same results. Might be better with a sports drink and to sip that during the run.

I bought a PowerBar gel belt just before DCM '09, and each of the 4 little (approx 125ml) bottles had a slip of paper inside with the suggestion that you put a gel in the bottle and fill it up with water. I did this for DCM and found it worked well - I had one High5 gel undiluted about 10 min before the start, and 4 diluted PowerBar gels before the 18 mile mark, plus lots of water and some weak sports drinks.
As TFB says, it shouldn't really be necessary for a half, but it's a good opportunity to practice if you intend doing a full.

scottreynolds

Try the High 5 Isotonic gels I find them much better. They are bulkier though.

Failing that try other brands. Every brand is slighlt different taste etc.

shels4ever

aero2k wrote: »

I bought a PowerBar gel belt just before DCM '09, and each of the 4 little (approx 125ml) bottles had a slip of paper inside with the suggestion that you put a gel in the bottle and fill it up with water. I did this for DCM and found it worked well - I had one High5 gel undiluted about 10 min before the start, and 4 diluted PowerBar gels before the 18 mile mark, plus lots of water and some weak sports drinks.
As TFB says, it shouldn't really be necessary for a half, but it's a good opportunity to practice if you intend doing a full.

Guess its a case of FTFM then

groovyg

You should try the High5 Iso gels, they gave them out at the Dublin Marathon they are much better than the other ones and you don't really need water

http://www.thefeedstation.com/gels/high-5-isogel-single/prod_140.html

SIS also do some good ones as well

DustyBin

TFBubendorfer wrote: »

Are you sure you need gels at all for a half marathon?

In my head I do at any rate!!
You're a lot longer at this craic than I am, but I just want to be sure
Anyway's, I bought a box of them on wiggle and need to get rid of them some how!

robinph

DustyBin wrote: »

In my head I do at any rate!!
You're a lot longer at this craic than I am, but I just want to be sure
Anyway's, I bought a box of them on wiggle and need to get rid of them some how!

You* shouldn't really need them for a half, but it is a handy opportunity to practice with them in a race and what your going to carry around with you. It shouldn't make a whole lot of difference though over that distance, once your doing the looong runs and the actual marathon they will be more useful to you.


*Assuming your not like me who does need them, lots and lots of them. This is due to being diabetic and I got through 5 today during an approximate half distance. Soon time for me to put in another bulk order with Wiggle.