Gu GONE WRONG.

 

It takes a lot to gross me out.

But just the thought of strawberry/banana Gu makes my stomach turn.
When I ran the Nashville Country Music marathon I put 4 strawberry/banana Gu packs in my running pouch. I consumed every last one of them and I washed them down with whatever wanna-be sports drink they were handing out at the race.

MISTAKE.

People had warned me not to try any NEW hydration/supplements for the first time during the race.... (Frequent rookie mistake). I planned on just taking water with Gu, but it was hot that day. I ran the first 13 miles faster than I planned, and water and Gu wasn't cutting it. I didnt hydrate before the race like i should of or take in enough carbs. I actually felt hungry when i was running which never happens. I needed MORE carbs, electrolytes....I needed more FUEL. So I reached for the pink stuff and it was downhill from there for my stomach!

Running the last 13 miles with an upset stomach is one of my most vivid memories from that race. To this day, the vision of either strawberry/banana Gu or the sports drink-wanna-be make me WANNA VOM! I have since learned that mixing 2 high sodium supplements (sports drink and Gu) will give just about anyone GI issues. 

So what do you do for FUEL during long runs???

Since my not so pleasant experience, I have trialed some more natural alternatives to the supplements. What your body needs is easily consumable and usable calories a.k.a. CARBS. Carbohydrates are energy your body can use quickly. After about 40 minutes of exercise you use up the carbohydrates your body has readily available. You NEED to take in more carbs to keep going at maximum performance. CARBS are the fuel for your body.

  I like sports drinks so THAT is where I get my electrolytes for the most part. We will talk about fluid/electrolyte needs at a later time. Today let's explore food option for carbs.

Here is how THE PATTI PLAN's Carb alternatives stack up against Gu.

1 packet of Gu has:

100 calories
0 fat
55 mg Sodium
45 mg of Potassium
25 g total Carbohydrates
5 g of those carbs are sugar
100% of recommended Vitamin E and C
0 protein
some Gu has caffeine which helps with energy levels, but can also cause dehydration
see their website for more details.

3 Jolly Rancher candies

70 calories
0 fat
10 mg of sodium
17 grams of total carbohydrate
11 grams of those total carbs is sugar
0 vitamins
for more Jolly Rancher info go here

2 fruit roll ups have:

104 calories
1 g of fat
89 mg of sodium
24 grams of total carbohydrates
11 of those grams of carbs are sugar
56% of daily vitamin C needs.
info obtained from this website

1 medium banana has:

105 calories
1 mg of sodium
27 grams of total carbohydrates
3 grams of total carbs is fiber
14 grams of total carbs is sugar
17% of daily Vitamin C needs
450 mg of potassium
get more banana info here

10 gummy bears has:

87 calories
10 mg of sodium
22 grams of total carbohydrates
13 grams of total carbs is made up of sugar
0 vitamins

Give one of these or all of these a try during your next long run.

There are pros and cons with them all. The good thing about Gu is that is it small, portable, and easily consumed. Some of these other options...not so much! I have tried all of these and found that variety is the key for me. I like to have different things to choose from and not consume the same thing over and over.
When you give them a try, pay attention to how you feel 5 minutes afterwards. Do you have more energy, feel like you can go further? That is the goal. You need enough carbs to feel REFUELED. Pay attention to how long the extra energy lasts. Keep trying new things until you find something that works for you!!!

GO run FAR, CARB up, and run some MORE!

Questions:
What supplements work for you?
Have you ever tried any of these??
Have you ever had any side effects from supplements?