GU? - Triathlon Week

06-06-2008, 10:50 PM

I do sprint Tri's and found a lot of folks sucking down GU gels? Do they
really help for short races? I thought they were more for mile 12 and
beyond marathoning.

All advice would be appreciated.

kxux · 06-07-2008, 06:43 AM

I use GU quite religiously in the races. Basically during the sprint I would take one towards the last few miles on the bike to refuel. And wash it with a lot of water. I do not do Gatorade so GU serves as replenishment of sugars that other people get through their sports drink. In longer races - like HIM I take GU every 20 minutes on the bike and also on the run. For obvious reasons there is no GU during the swim. Also the first GU on the bike comes about 20-30 minutes after the swim. Taking it earlier could have bad consequences :-).

I do not take GU in short running race - 5k, 10k, 5mi, but I did take quite a few packs during my half marathon. My rationale is that I want to keep steady level of sugar during the longer races and longer for me is anything over 1 hour.

This is working quite well for me. Learned by mistakes of my own making - bonked during HIM, bonked during half marathon - enough bonking for me.

06-08-2008, 10:27 PM

sprint race is a 1 hour race, you would have the energy you need in
your muscles and your guts, gu at around 40mins in will have no effect
as it wont even start digesting in your guts by the time u finish.
also ride a bike and eat a banna, what happens you slow down so blood
can go to your guts and digest it. same thing on a smaller level, eat
something and you will reduce blood to your muscels, what you need to
do is say is it worth it? no not for a 1 hour race.
Gatorade is all i would have in a sprint.