Early this season, a can of GU hydration mix, ,made its way into my bag as I shopped for new gear. I have to admit, it was with great misgivings that I mixed my first dose! In the past, I had dabbled with hydration mixes and discovered; the hard way, that my stomach did not agree with performance drink mixes! I was just starting my training for the next big race so I thought, I did not have anything to lose by giving this product a try.
My first test was a warm spring day, and I headed out for a nice easy run, with the goal of not pushing myself too hard. Of course an easy run never stays easy, and I was soon sweating rivers and guzzling my GU in an attempt to stay hydrated. I fully expected my stomach to start twisting into knots from the stress of the hard work out and the usual effect of the hydration drink. By the end of my run, I was out of energy and out of GU, but there were no stomach cramps and no muscle cramps! As the season wore on, I continued to use the GU formula and started to rely on the GU hydration mix; as well as my GU gels, to keep me energized and hydrated during runs and bike rides. After watching my daughter turn green and nearly pass out during a particularly strenuous karate class, I started giving her some GU drink mix too. I am happy to say that this drink really did well in that application as well! The lemon ice tea flavour was acceptable for her to drink but it was not as sugary tasting as many energy drinks. She happily drank it; when she needed to, but never guzzled it like a soft drink.
With 250 mg of sodium, 30 mg of potassium, and only 9 g of sugars per 620 ml, this drink mix does exactly what it is supposed to do. It keeps you hydrated, and prevents cramping, without loading you down with unnecessary calories. The 18 g of carbs and 20 mg of caffeine also come in handy to ensure that this product not only acts as a hydration mix but also works as an energy mix as well. The big added bonus is that this product is easily absorbed by your body, during the hottest and most strenuous work outs, without upsetting your stomach. Mark me down as a new loyal follower of the GU brand of products!
