To Gu or not to Gu: What's in a gel?

I've done the Dew. Recently I decided it was time to do the Gu. Before I got into cycling I did not know what a Gu was. I'd never tried a Gu, I didn't know anyone who Gued and certainly didn't know what was in a Gu. To me, gu was something icky and sticky. But, then I started seeing fellow Team in Training teammates doing Gu on our long training rides and it made me curious. Many people would substitute Gu for solid foods. I was told that the first time I try a Gu it should be on a short ride of 30 miles or so. Apparently gus and gels can make some not so fun gu in your stomache when your system first is introduced to it.

A few weeks ago, on a sunny and blistering Tuesday afternoon, I decided to go on a ride after work. On this day, I also decided I would try my first gu. To my surprise I had no issues. My stomache did not burn and I actually felt great. I did one gu about 15 minutes before I went out and another on the ride. I did 31 miles that day with calorie consumption that consisted of 2 gus, sports drink, half of a Clif bar and tons of water. It was a good ride for an evening. Hot but good.

You may be asking yourself what's in these gels and gus that endurance athletes are always raving about? The simple answer: calories. Calories that you can absorb and burn through quickly. Calories that help your body avoid using itself as fuel on long rides. Gus provide a blend of complex and simple carbohydrates, electrolytes and amino acids to keep you going with a "hopefully" smaller amount of pain. They are a good fuel for endurance training because they offer a balanced blend of the nutrients you need and they are fast and easy to consume. Do be cautious when first trying a gu or gel. Although my stomache did not burn, they are not always so kind. Slam a gu on a short ride or near the end of a long ride just in case they do cause some stomache issues. You'll also want to try different flavors. I recommend buying a variety box at first. I like the non-fruit flavors - Espresso, Chocolate and Vanilla fare well with me. Give some different flavors and shot and see what works for you.