I’ve heard the saying over and over and over again…don’t use anything for the first time in a race. don’t use anything for the first time in a race. don’t use anything for the first time in a race.
Well, it was 97 degrees at Wildflower yesterday and it’s not going to get much cooler by the end of the week. I’ve never used salt tablets before and a buddy of mine is telling me to take the HammerGel Endurolytes.
I’ve never had any stomach “issues” in any other race, but I’d hate to do WF with only Gatorade as my sodium replacement. I won’t have time to test the Endurolytes out prior to this weekend.
All I can hear is my little voice telling me to “don’t use anything for the first time in a race!”.
You can start testing the endurolytes right now - you will be doing some training before the race, right? Even if it’s for an hour - take only water and 1 or 2 endurolytes beforehand.
I raced 1/2 Vineman with endurolytes, and used them only once before in light training earlier in the week. I had no problems at all. I took 1 per hour, took a drink every 10 minutes alternating between accelerade and water. Once you start taking them, don’t stop.
If I were racing Wildflower in that heat, I would take at least 1 capsule every 30 minutes, and make sure I was drinking something every 5 minutes (mostly accelerade and some water), and i would set my watch alarm to remind me. I would also take a water bottle with me on the run course. During the run I would be taking endurolytes (maybe 1 every 20 minutes here), gels, water and maybe diluted gatorade at aid stations. I also sweat a lot - way above average I think. I notice the difference when I don’t take them.
On the stomach thing, I find my gut has more problems with gatorade than with endurolytes, gel and water combined.
I use endurolytes and haven’t had any bad effects from them…unless I take more than 1 per hour. If I take more than that, I get the runs. However, I also drink Cytomax and eat e-Gel which both have electrolytes in them as well. Too much of anything will probably yield a bad effect.
I have most most sensitive stomach around including IBS and I use Endurolytes without any problems. I take one tablet per hour with plenty of water and have not had a issue with it for 3 years now while racing.
I would recommend starting today to try them out. If you decide not to take them during the race you can just take one or two before the race. However I highly recommend trying these before any race you plan to do.
I think the Hammer Gel people say that you can take as many as you want without ill effects. I take two each hour for longer events, and three each hour if its hot, and I’ve never had any problems.
The easiest solution is to use 15 shakes of table salt in your bottles of Gatorade. This solutions works great for me in races in the 2-6 hour range. It costs nothing.
You can practice using this all week. You can even salt up some gatorade out of training right now to get used to the flavour. In the winter, it has the added benefit of lowering the freezing point of your bottles so you are not running or XC skiing with blocks of ice !