When it comes to fuelling endurance performance, energy gels have become a go-to tool for athletes seeking fast, convenient access to carbs during training or racing- but if you’re new to the world of endurance sports you may be wondering if and why you might want to consider them.
 
First things first, what is a sports or energy gel? Simply put it’s a compact source of carbohydrate allowing us access to fast energy as our natural muscle energy stores deplete during exercise. 
 
Why do we need to use gels? Gels contain easily digested carbs, which is quickly utilised as fuel for muscles. For context a banana or bar may have similar carb content to a gel, however trying to carry and consume 2-3 bananas or bars per hour would soon become overwhelming and impractical. Be aware some gels have different mixes and forms of carbs and/or additives such as fructose, which can be more likely to cause stomach upsets. The PURE gel range has been formulated with maltodextrin, a type of carbohydrate easily digested and less likely to cause distress.
 
When do I use gels? Gels are a great option anytime you need to fuel muscles while exercising which is generally endurance exercise over 60-90 minutes or shorter duration high-intensity exercise. Most gels contain around 25 grams of carbohydrate which for the majority of us, equates to approximately one third to half of our carb needs per hour.
 
Here are a few pointers to help you get the most out of your gels:
 
Test in training
Many athletes save gels for race day, this is a big gamble and breaks the golden rule of practicing race day nutrition in training. So use your long sessions to practice with gels, this should include varying flavours, timings, quantities and inclusion of caffeine to make sure you feel comfortable using the gels and they work for you. Don’t forget you will also get enhanced training gains by fuelling correctly in training.
 
Start your fuelling early
Gels are commonly used 10-15 minutes before the start gun sounds to elevate blood sugar levels and spare stored muscle fuel.
 
Spread the load
Our bodies have capacity for digesting carbohydrates, so figure out how many gels you plan to use and spread them out evenly over each hour beginning around 20 minutes into the session. Remember you can also train your gut to accept fuel or higher carb amounts, start small and work on increasing your capacity in training. Fuelling once fatigued is really difficult and is often a downward spiral to complete exhaustion.
 
Don't forget to hydrate
Gels are predominantly a carb source, so you still need to hydrate, especially during endurance events over 90 minutes. They also contain small amounts of electrolytes so ensure adequate replacement is added into your nutrition plan.
 
On-the-go caffeine
As much as we would all love a wee latte break during our race, gels provide a fast and practical way to get some caffeine into your nutrition plan. Caffeine takes up to an hour to reach peak blood concentration so use your caffeine containing gels early in your session. It may be handy to note selected PURE gels contain 30mg of caffeine, which is approximately one-third of a single espresso shot and designed to micro dose throughout a session or race.
 
The key take away is that gels are a simple way to fuel endurance performance. Use your training sessions to create your gel plan and experiment with new flavours, caffeine and increasing your carb delivery per hour. Aim for gels that suit your taste buds in terms of flavour and consistency, as this will encourage fuelling when you need it the most.
 
Last but not least, start early and fuel frequently, especially while you are feeling fresh and before fatigue hits home.
 
 
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