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Today's wonderings are centered around the bars/gels variety.
Topic 1 - Do you have a favorite nutrition bar? When do you eat said bar? Why do you like it?
I think my favorite brand of bars are the Luna varieties, with my favorite flavor being Lemon Zest. Right now I'm on a Luna Berry Almond kick, just to have some variety in my life, but Lemon Zest is my all time fave. I like to eat these as my pre-run breakfast these days instead of oatmeal because the oatmeal is too hot for summer running. Luna Bars easily become an afternoon snack if we don't have anything else that sounds better to eat in the house. The Lemon Zest flavor has the right combination of tart/sweet/crunch/creamy that I like. I'm a sucker for citrus flavors, especially tart lemon, so it is an easy choice.
Topic 2 - What brand and flavor of Gel/race food do you like? Do you like it solely for the flavor, or is there more to it concerning calories, electrolytes, etc? Does it have caffeine?
I like Gu brand in the 'Just Plain' and 'Vanilla Bean' flavors. Both of these flavors contain caffeine, which I like...it doesn't bother my tummy. I don't have issues with electrolytes like others do during a race, so I have the luxury of picking a brand based on flavor and size of packaging. Gu brand is great because the packaging is smaller than other brands, so I can cram one(or two) into the little key pocket in my shorts or more than than in my sports bra. I have tried all of the flavors and have decided that the plainer the better for me. If I have to, I'll eat most any flavor except coffee/espresso...gag!
I have trouble with Clif Shots tasting too much like jelly or pudding and the large packaging that doesn't fit in my pocket. PowerGel tastes too chemical-like for me, especially the tangerine and apple flavors...gross, though I've been known to like the vanilla and plain flavors of PowerGel as a Gu back-up if I have to. Hammer stuff tastes weird to me. eGel is too big and very salty.
I like the concept of the gummy candies and more solid race foods like Sport Beans, Luna Moons, and Clif Blocks. There's just something to having to chew to get 100 calories rather than sucking it down quickly. Any sort of extra work during a race seems like it isn't worth it. I guess one of the benefits to the solid foods is that you can decide how much to eat at a time...rationing is good.
5 comments:
Topic 1 Bars. No, not really for "just" running. For cycling, I'd use whatever bars the race was going to serve/hand-up, most recently that was PowerBars. I also have a dwindling stash of Hammer bars (I used their bars, their gels (see next topic), their electrolytes), but those are now just taking up room in the 'fridge, and I need to check the "eat by" dates!!
Topic 2 gel/race food. I make sure I can tolerate what the next race will serve (right now that is Portland; have not done that yet with what Portland will serve, that seems a little odd/unusual brand?), but otherwise, I now use Carb Boom having tried and used Hammer gels for a couple of years. I too had a Clif phase (I liked Clif's "natural" company marketing), until I realized there were more palatable options out there.
1. If I'm cycling, spinning or swimming in the early am I eat half of a Luna Bar or kids Z-Bar. I don't like chocolate so just the berry and fruit like flavors for me - lemon, Chai Tea, toasted nuts n cran, blueberry z-bars. Half of one is just enough to keep me tied over through a 1 hour to 1 1/2 hour workout. Long runs and long bike rides I eat more than that before.
2. I used to use Clif products because that's what we have in our store but Hammer stuff is SO much better. It goes down easier, tastes better and isn't as thick. It seems to work better and longer also. I also just started using their endurolytes and their recovery drink, recoverite, which is also far superior to the Clif stuff imo.
I don't eat the gummy stuff. When I cycle if I'm going to eat something, then I want it to be real food - like fig newtons or fruit.
Cheetos for mid afternoon or early evening snack.
Cupcakes if I'm in the neighborhood.
; )
offseason!
Bars- Builder Bars, Mint flavor. Love'em. I use it as one of my snacks...they pack a whopping 270 calories and I need food on the run more than anything.
Gu- I'm a gu brand girl. I like the roctane for caffeine purposes or the orange flavor.
I like Luna bars, too. Caramel nut brownie are my favorite.
I prefer Sports Beans because they are smaller than Blok shots or even Luna Chews. I find them easier to eat and I can eat 1 or 2 at a time.
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