I have had no problem in the past with gels, be it Gu or Hammer. However, since I am doing IMMT and their on course nutrition is Honey Stinger, I decided to get a box of the Ginsting flavor. I know taste is personal, but for the life of me I can’t figure out how any of the flavors offered got out of R & D. How is this the same company that makes the delicious waffles? That is for another thread though, my problem is not the taste. I can’t seem to eat them and process them. I empty the gel into my mouth, swallow, and follow it with plain water, just as I do with other brands. It sits there though and never feels like I am absorbing it. I know I am not absorbing it because between 15-30 minutes later is sprayed all over the sidewalk. I have seen on this forum some say that it is your body saying you don’t need it and not to force it, but it can happen on my first gel or an hour into a run.
If it is that bad why force it? I try to acclimate to on course beverages, but for Gels I bring my own (which oddly enough is only Honey Stinger, I get sick with Gu and Hammer). I’m not sure what the setup for MT is, but so many races I’ve done put the Gels at weird aid stations. I ran a local half marathon once and they had gel at mile 11, and there wasn’t a full being run on the same course, just a half.
Try a flavor that doesn’t contain Ginseng and/or kola nut extract.
Ginseng, especially, wrecks my stomach. I can’t imagine consuming it while exercising.
Ironmen have iron tummies…htfu and quit that whining
.
Flavored anything hardly ever sits in my stomach quietly. Honey Stinger Gold has treated me well. I guess I know to avoid Ginseng…
ohh GODD they have Honey Stingers on course at IMMT??!!!?!?!?!?! do they have the waffles too or just the gels?! OMG
Was that supposed to be in pink?
GI distress, and which food sits well vs which food makes us puke, have nothing to do with HTFU. It’s genes. Or bacterial flora in the intestines. We can’t control that.
Carry your own food. One gel for every 30-45 minutes you expect to be on the bike. That’s not that many. Or carry one bottle with water and gel mix. Sip on that. Exchange the other bottle(s) as you go, and keep that one food bottle the entire bike. Course hydration is one thing. But I would not want to eat their food unless it happened to be what I eat regularly.
Eat what you are used to eating.
I’m with you. For the life of me, I don’t understand it. Those gels are disgusting. But the waffles. . . mmm. . . so good.
bring your own gels. use course hydration, but bring the buffet with you.
assuming you are not adverse to honey, generally, try the gold. The gold flavor is basically just honey.
they also just released organic gels. the vanilla is really tasty.