A lot of people on this board have run more than a few marathons so I'm curious if any of you have insight into alternatives to gels. I ran my first marathon last year and while I had practiced eating gels on long runs during the race it was impossible for me to choke down the gu I had with me. I just found it to be too sticky and hard to swallow, plus difficult to open.
Is there a better option? Searching through old threads I've seen mention of chewables and even some comments on "liquid shots." Would either of those work for a marathon?
I've also heard of people mixing gels with water, but that carries the obvious logistical downside of needing someone to hand me a gel-infused water bottle after the 10 mile mark.
My first marathon was 2:45 so it's not like I need a TON of fuel but it would be nice to get something down rather seamlessly.