Serious question. I notice a lot of people, including pros, using Coca Cola on the bike and run. Bjorn had it in his water bottle on the bike and Jonnyo said that’s all he drank on the run. Why coke? What does it have that sports drinks don’t?
Caffeine. And probably one of the most quickly absorbed sugars. Once you start, don’t stop though…
Because I don’t like needles.
Because they don’t hand out meth at the aid stations.
What about gel shots with caffeine? They have a glycemic index of over 100, right? And why wouldn’t they just put caffeine in sports drinks?
Because then you couldn’t have Gatorade AND CocaCola as sponsors, silly…
I think you can add caffeine to Infinit as well, right?
Yes. Caffeine is an option with InfinIT
What about gel shots with caffeine?
Yes, they obviously exist, but gels do get tiresome…and then there’s that nasty need of also having to drink water along with it…with coke, bang, you get calories, sugar, caffeine and liquid all at once.
What about gel shots with caffeine?
Yes, they obviously exist, but gels do get tiresome…and then there’s that nasty need of also having to drink water along with it…with coke, bang, you get calories, sugar, caffeine and liquid all at once.
Good answer. That makes sense. Ok, but what about the acidity of coke? Doesn’t it upset your stomach? Apparently not, or they wouldn’t be using it.
The coke is flat, and I actually found that it settled my stomach on the run. I alternated it with water. Oh, and the chicken broth at the end, just because it was yummy…
Boy, I hear you on the chicken broth, my body was telling me that’s JUST what it needed towards the end of the run! I don’t chicken broth ever tasted that good.
Warm, cold, fizzy. flat, diluted Coke has been used as the original energy drink for 45 or 50 years. Fig Newtons, bananas and Coke were the gold standards in the 60s and early 70s. Then some southern football program made a product named alligator helper or something like that and sold the rights to Stokley Van Camps, the same guys that bring you the pork and beans. Their original formula Gatoraide was available for asking. Our head trainer at the University of Montana gave it to me in 1972ish. The Stokley formula was a bit strong at first so everyone used to cut it 50%. Then they figured out they could double their sales if they cut it prior to sale and did.
Coke get lots of energy in fast, but bonks out fast as well.
It has flavor like nothing else. If it tastes good it’s easier to stomach. As far as what it does have, sugar. Sugar + Flavor = happy tummy.
Coke get lots of energy in fast, but bonks out fast as well.
Good point. Once you start, don’t stop…
An interesting topic for me. I’ve never had Coke during a IM or half at all, but finally took one cup of it during IMC. Didn’t really notice an effect, but then again, I drink two cans of Coke every day pretty much. I do like the idea as an alternative to gels. I ran out of Gu and starting taking PowerGels on course, which I’ve done before, but GOD those things taste terrible, at least compared to the chocolate Gu, which to me tastes like chocolate pudding. I might have to experiment with Coke for my next IM.
An interesting topic for me. I’ve never had Coke during a IM or half at all, but finally took one cup of it during IMC. Didn’t really notice an effect, but then again, I drink two cans of Coke every day pretty much. I do like the idea as an alternative to gels. I ran out of Gu and starting taking PowerGels on course, which I’ve done before, but GOD those things taste terrible, at least compared to the chocolate Gu, which to me tastes like chocolate pudding. I might have to experiment with Coke for my next IM.
I think I will too. I had a pretty bad roiling stomach going by th end of the run last year, and it was probably due to all the gels I was taking. I didn’t bonk, but I damn near shat my pants.
By mile 23 I was more looking forward to the bathroom than I was the finish line!
What about gel shots with caffeine?
Yes, they obviously exist, but gels do get tiresome…and then there’s that nasty need of also having to drink water along with it…with coke, bang, you get calories, sugar, caffeine and liquid all at once.
Good answer. That makes sense. Ok, but what about the acidity of coke? Doesn’t it upset your stomach? Apparently not, or they wouldn’t be using it.
I’m guessing you are a youngster. Coke syrup has been a remedy for an upset stomach for what seems like millenia.
Not to burst anyone’s bubbles or anything, but at LP we were handing out a very low-brow own-label cola… nice and warm too, yum
Why coke?
Two reasons
- Simple sugar
- Caffiene