Energy gels

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I have started to use energy gels on longer competitions. I wish I had done that earlier; it really has helped my performance. Previously, I have only relied on energy drinks and apple juice, usually diluted with water.

On advice from training buddies, I tested using gels during training a few times. I think it had some effect, but nothing really game changing. In hindsight, I can see I did not take enough. Recommended consumption is one gel every half hour during endurance events. 

On my half ironman in April 2021, I only took one energy gel during the whole race, it was in T2. It probably helped me a bit, but the real game changer was Red Bull. On the run, I took a cup of Red Bull by mistake, I thought it was sports drink. The energizing effect was obvious, I felt it right away. Worried about too much caffeine intake, I swapped sports drink and Red Bull on every other drink station for the rest of the run. It was still hard, but the extra stimulant and sugar made it doable, and the run was my best event of the day. 

But caffeine in large amounts is not healthy, so despite the good results on Ironman, I have opted to not take Red Bull on my races. Instead, I have incorporated a steady stream of energy gels, one approximately every 30-40 minutes, both on longer training events and competitions. Key here is longer, (over an hour), for shorter exertions, I don't need it. With energy gels, I never feel totally exhausted, there is always some fuel for the body to work with, it has made me last longer and I also recover faster. 

On competitions, it can be a problem to ingest a gel without losing time. I rip the top off before start and leave the gels in the transition area. In T1, I take the first one with some water. Then I put two in my pockets and during a suitable non-technical part of the bike ride, I can grab one with my hand and squeeze the content into my mouth, topping it with drink from my bike bottle. (I put the trash inside my suit through the neckline). During the run, it is easy to hold a gel in the hand.

Now, I would never consider doing a long event (one hour +), without the help of energy gels.

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