A marathon runner should be consuming between 30g to 60g of carbohydrate per hour, and if your ambitions are to get to that level of fitness one day, then these forms of nutritional sports supplements are exactly what you should be looking at. They come in many forms and we have laid out a description of our top 4 picks for your perusal.
Enjoy:
Gels
With 22g carbohydrate, The SiS Go Isotonic Gels are designed to combine carbohydrate and water in a specific ratio (22g of carb in a 60ml gel). This means you won’t need to take on fluids in order to help you swallow the gel down – the gels are designed to be consumed as they are - so you can focus on your running, hassle-free. Also, this mix of carb and fluid makes it more effective as a source of energy, and easier for the body to process. They are some of the best-tasting gels out there and give a great pick-up. These are still very sweet but there nine flavours to try so there should be something you like – our favourite is the grapefruit.
Chews
With six pieces per packet, these Clif Bar Chews are easy to ration and space out, enabling you to practice the ‘little and often’ philosophy so you can top yourself up as frequently as you need. Doing something similar with a gel would likely mean gel squidging all over your pocket. You can suck each block for around two to three minutes, which is a nice distraction too. Each pack has around 45g carbohydrate (the equivalent of two average gels) and 190 calories and they give a strong boost of energy. They have a great texture, not too sugary or claggy in mouth, and taste better than you would think. These are a very convenient little supplement.
Bars
If you’re not a fan of regular energy bars – those which are sugary and sickly sweet – look no further than Prime. Comprised of 76 per cent British beef and with 7g of carbohydrate, they’re not designed so much for the shorter runs (half-marathon or even marathon). Where they really come into their own are for more ultra or long-distance events – each 50g bar is packed with 170 calories, 12g of protein and 12g of fat, so these are a balanced snack to keep you going that tastes excellent. Another huge upside is they won’t give you a belly ache. Our favourite variety is the chilli and red pepper, with its subtle paprika hit. If you’re looking for an on the go snack to keep your appetite going, this is the way to go.
Hydration Powder
Precision Hydration is a brand that specialises in sports hydration, to replace sodium and potassium lost from the body from via sweat (it’s not a carbohydrate drink). This is suited more towards endurance and longer events, where you’d likely be consuming other bars and snacks as your source of carbohydrate and fuel. This will aid hydration and help you avoid getting cramps. Its taste is great – not too sweet, but a little hint of flavour, with subtle grapefruit (we do love our grapefruit) – to help tempt you to keep drinking. There are different strengths depending on how much you sweat, but if you’re a heavy sweater or competing in a very hot place, the 1000 or 1500 options are the best, otherwise, there are the lighter versions also.
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