Hi Sarah Conway 6
I have just written up some info on Steve's thread on gels so will cut and paste this.
Finding the right gel can be trial and error for some.
For first timers to a marathon or using gels you need to consider what type of gel you are going to use. For example, one with water already in it and hence don’t need to drink with it, these gels are described as something between a drink and a gel but they will also be heavier to carry (as have more water in them) or do you choose a gel without water added so they have a thicker consistency but is lighter to carry but more concentrated in month & you need to drink 150ml or more of water with it.
Most, if not every brand of gel, does a caffeine gel and the same gel but without the caffeine. However the decision if using caffeine is how much you need and wish to use to have a good effect. These gels range usually between 30-50mg of caffeine but some used more heavily in cycling have 100mg per gel (CNP cola gels, these may be useful for those that what a bigger boost but you may only use say 1-2 of these in the race and use other non-caffeine gels for the rest of the race). Here are a few examples :
Powerbar (powerbar.co.uk): Have 3 main gels. Powergel and powergel fruit (some real fruit juice added) with 26/27grams of carb per gel but need to drink with this, no caffeine in these. If you want one with lighter consistency then powergel hydro also 26g of carbs but no water needed.
Or as an alternative to a gel, powerbar do the powerbar shots (sweets with 5 g of carb per sweet and these have caffeine in them). These sweet suits those that like to drip feed their fuel in the race (so rather than consuming a gel 2 per hour you are taking a sweet every 10minutes or so. A portion these have 75mg of caffeine.
- Or there is science in sport (www.scienceinpost.com) which have the GO gels with 22g of carb per gel, no water need with these and can buy with or without caffeine (50mg caffeine per gel).
- Highfive (highfive.co.uk): choice of isogel (23g of carbs with or without 30mg of caffeine) or energy gels with or without caffeine (also 30mg of caffeine) and same carb 23g but the energy gels you need to drink with as thickener consistency.
There are lots of other gels but I have just picked out three brands to make it easier: thicker consistancy or lighter? caffene or no caffeine? Most other brands have same principle. You should also make sure you check how many carbs you will be consuming per hour (most people will need 2 gels per hour, a few may need 3 but should not need more than this per hour). Aim for 30-60grams of carbs per hour, I think if first timer nearer 50g would be safer.
Hope this is helpful
Ruth
Edited: 28/01/2013 at 20:35
