Alternatives to Gels and Sports Drinks??

Aiel

Looking for more advice from you very nice folks here on these Running threads:).Basically i've a very sensitive stomach and when running a long distance(over 10miles) in which i need a boost im finding myself having bad stomach cramps when using Gels and even Lucozade Sport.I've even tried those Lucozade Sport Jelly Bean sweets.Is there anything else as a good alternative that might be lighter on the stomach?I use Wine Gum sweets which i find do give some sort of boost but not enough.Is there anything else out there that people use besides Gels and Sports drinks?
Any advice appreciated.

robinph

Are you able to take on even water while running?

pconn062

Try dextrose sweets, you can get them in Holland and Barrett and other shops I'm sure. There really easy on the stomach and provide a little burst of energy.

Aiel

I forgot to add that i do take water and was thinking of adding a small bit of sugar to my water bottle,that shouldnt be too hard on the stomach.I must try those dextrose sweets,thanks.

b.harte

Have you tried honey?
I used to mix up my own brew using honey added to cool boiled water to mix, I also tried a few spoons of glucose powder from the chemist with water and a pinch of salt, and never had any ill effects.
The is a brand of gels / sweets / drinks that are based on honey, stinger I think, can't recall from memory.
I find some of the powders for drinks make me bloated and full of gas, buy and large any gel I've used has given me heartburn/reflux with the exception of the tropical fruit flavour kinetica but the taste was way too strong for my liking.
Have you tried jelly babies? I use them all the time on long cycles, a small bag every 60 mins or so along with my normal 15mins sips of high-5, and even used them during cork half marathon this year, they are easy on the stomach have a soft texture and are nice to eat, and you can get them in almost every shop.

Bertie

gottarun

10ml honey, 10ml water, tiny pinch of salt and drop of olive oil in a small container = home made energy gels.

Just watch though, honey is a natural laxative so test on training runs first.:eek:

Clearlier

If wine gums are ok then it's not going to be your stomach that's the problem - it's what you're consuming. The suggestion of a homemade version seems like a pretty good one given that you can experiment while being confident about what's in it.

A couple of thoughts on what could be causing the problems you've encountered:

Lucozade sport contains maltodextrin which is hard on the stomach although I've heard claims that you can build a tolerance for it.

Wondering if the gels you use also contain maltodextrin? If not, are you taking enough water with them?

If you don't feel like trying the homemade version you can try other versions but keep an eye on the ingredients list. You could also experiment with solid foods. I have a friend who ran the Paris marathon in 2:48 earlier this year. He eats mini-flapjacks.

griffin100

I find Hi5 isotonic gels very easy on the stomach and you don't need to take water with them.

Bambaata

I take the Isogels too. Best ive tried, great not having to take on water with them as i never knew how much i really needed to take with other gels. They also dont coat the back of my throat/mouth like others gels did

Head The Wall

They do coat the inside of your jersey pocket unless they are completely drained which can be awkward enough to do at times .

I'd still choose a sticky jersey before going down the scumbags route of just throwing the wrappers away

Bambaata

I generally wash my gear after training ;-)

paulb79

i had the same problem and found the hi 5 gels very good fingers crossed still going well

dublin_blanch

viper
is very good from maximusle

Aiel

Thanks guys,didnt realise there's a good few other options out there.I actually used Jelly Babies last night and had no reaction.
Thanks "Clearlier",will pay attention to the ingredients.