Meet Gu.
Gu is an energy food designed to be quickly and easily digested so that it can be eaten during endurance activities, like running.
It's a gel that you squirt into your mouth and wash down with a little water and it contains carbohydrates that can be broken down into fuel very quickly.
I'm not sure how many of you know this, but... I'm pretty hardcore. Yeah, like I enjoy pain and I'm not thrilled with the idea of using something supplemental to help me.
So, I don't know how I feel about gu. I've trained with it and used it in races before, but I've honestly never felt like it gave me any particular type of boost. On the otherhand, it can't hurt, right?
So, I'm trying to decide whether or not to just ditch the whole gu routine or not.
Let's examine.
The Cons of Gu:
1. They cost 1.25 each.
2. It takes extra time at a water station to gu.
3. Your outfit must have extra pockets, etc to hold your gu.
4. They taste like crap and make me gag.
5. Is it a crutch?
The Pros of Gu:
1. It's supposed to give you a boost.
2. It's supposed to aid in recovery.
So, I think I'm going to continue to train this time around without any gu and maybe take a couple with me on marathon day, just in case I feel like it might give me a boost.
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1 comment:
Well you know about my love affair with Gu...BUT, they do give me a huge boost. I'd be afraid not to use them for the recovery aspect...you'd better figure it out quick, I guess! You know what its like to Gu on long runs...maybe you should run your 20 miler without it and see how that goes. I do think you need something other than water though...for recovery.
Its NOT cheating! Bodies arent supposed to run 26.2 miles at one time! It's actually bad for your body! I think that going without anything would be a bad decision. Just my .02
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