Between putting the hours into our training, dealing with injury and fatigue and the pressure we put on ourselves to perform, our nutrition is one area that we endurance athletes may not spend the time we need to in order to optimize our performance. There are literally hundreds of different products on the market that cater to the demanding nutritional requirements of those of us involved in endurance events and it can be tough to determine what is best for our bodies. The one product that has become a staple in my nutrition is GU and specifically the GU line of performance gels. These gels are used to provide long lasting and easily digestible energy for the endurance athlete. For me, GU is a stalwart in my training for 3 reasons. Number 1 it is easily digestible. I have experienced the dreaded “Gut Rot” from other products but with GU I have never experienced any sort of stomach reaction that would slow me down or keep me from completing my training/race. Number 2, it really does provide me with the energy I need to keep going. I notice a boost in my performance almost immediately after ingesting a GU…it really is a shot of energy right when you need it. That leads me to reason number 3….the taste. Of all the gels I have tried GU tastes the best BY FAR. This season, 3 flavours have found their way into my race kits: Just Plain, Vanilla Bean and a new flavour that GU has introduced this season (and is the best tasting gel I have ever had) Salted Caramel. I highly recommend this flavour as it is delicious! Hard to believe it is a functional nutritional product and not just a tasty treat. Seriously..it it that yummy.
The GU company states that their gels “provide the body with the essential requirements it needs to keep going for miles and miles and hours and hours”. My experience with this product confirms this statement. I highly recommend this product to any athlete looking for a gel that does the job and tastes great doing it. I look forward to hearing about your experiences with GU as you continue to train hard to achieve your goals.
Cheers
M
