ewww, GU

[OakLeaf]

On a training run I can go close to 90 minutes without nutrition without a noticeable decline in energy - but it takes me a LOT longer than that to run a 1/2. On longer training runs, I'll take in 100-150 calories every 40-45 minutes. Don't forget that at race pace you'll be burning calories a lot quicker than you do during training. On my first 1/2 last weekend, I didn't increase my intake, but I DEFINITELY noticed a boost from the gels. That is, my energy WAS declining, but so incrementally I hadn't noticed it until it came back.

I wouldn't be able to chew anything like Shot Blox or Sport Beans at race pace. It's hard enough to breathe just taking in a gel.

If you want to taste something worse than GU, try plain rice syrup and a pinch of salt in a gel flask. Yuk. But as a general rule I can't stand the wastefulness of single-serving gels.

If you have a beverage mix you like on the bike, maybe try mixing it very strong in a gel flask. Hammer Nutrition suggests doing that with Perpetuem, so I don't know why you couldn't do it with other products as well.