So for my past few long runs and workouts i've been using honey out of a small bottle and I *think* it's been doing the trick?
Do you guys think I am missing out on any benefits that a popular energy gel could offer me?
If switching over to GU during my marathon could help increase my performance, then i'd be all for it so honest opinions only please!
Is this organic honey from Whole Foods? If not, you could really be hurting your performance. Who knows what is in the other honeys being sold in grocery stores!
fastr wrote:
So for my past few long runs and workouts i've been using honey out of a small bottle and I *think* it's been doing the trick?
Do you guys think I am missing out on any benefits that a popular energy gel could offer me?
If switching over to GU during my marathon could help increase my performance, then i'd be all for it so honest opinions only please!
GU is just a hobbyjogger tax.
I don't think you are missing out on much. My wife has been using the Honey Stinger packets instead of conventional gels in her training and they have worked just fine for her. The entire point of these products is to get easily digestible and convertible sugar into your system so that you don't run out of glycogen during the event. No reason why honey can't serve that purpose.
The only real downsides are that your current approach sounds a little inconvenient (having to carry a bottle) and maybe a little messy. Also, some of the gels have caffeine, which I have always liked. Definitely not necessary, but since you asked if you were missing out on anything, I thought it should be mentioned.
I actually put the honey in a small squeezable travel bottle that fits nicely into the back pocket of my shorts so it really doesn't impede anything.
With respect to caffeine, my morning routine is to take a 200mg pill first thing in the morning so I suppose the result will be the same
So the added ingredients like aminos, electrolytes etc. don't matter much in the grand scheme of things?
fastr wrote:
So the added ingredients like aminos, electrolytes etc. don't matter much in the grand scheme of things?
Of course they do. But they come from food and aren't a necessity during a run.
Been using raw honey instead of gels for a while now. GU make a pouch that holds up to 5 gels - even has measurements of number of gel sachets on the side. It's perfect for carrying the honey.
fastr wrote:
Using honey instead of commercial gels?
Depends. How does your boyfriend like it?
No. As soon as you are participating in an endurance activity real food no longer works.
It's like a physical law.
Why not just buy the little packets of honey like you can get at some restaurant supply shops?
https://www.amazon.com/Kraft-Pure-Honey-9-Gram-Packages/dp/B001652KD8
I use maple syrup vs Gu's...