Yet another gel. But not just another gel. Leppin may have been the first, but GU was really the category gorilla. Every me-too gel that followed was patterned more or less after GU, and compared itself to GU.
Carb-BOOM (www.carbboom.com) is a bit different. It tastes like fruit––like, for example, apple sauce––which is quite different than the pudding-style taste that most gels have. And its field general isn't a lab rat in a white coat. It is Paul Thomas, a world-class duathlete, and a star runner from way back (4:08 high school mile PR).
SLOWTWITCH QUESTION ONE: If you were to compete in a half-Ironman, what would be your nutritional regimen during the race?
Keep in mind that most athletes have different nutrition and racing protocols that work best for their particular bodies. It’s important for every athlete to experiment and discover the ideal strategy to follow to best achieve his/her specific performance goals. However, some general nutritional guidelines that we would suggest utilizing during a half-Ironman competition will be briefly outlined here.
We can’t stress enough the importance of two basic nutrients that MUST be consumed during prolonged exercise: water and carbohydrate. It is essential that individuals participating in strenuous exercise drink enough fluid throughout activity in order to stay hydrated. According to the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM), it is recommended that athletes drink 20-40 ounces of water per hour in order to replace sweat/fluid loss and maintain adequate physiological parameters.
At exercise intensities above 60 percent VO2max, the body’s preferred source of fuel is carbohydrate. The average-sized person has enough carbohydrate stores in the body to support physical activity for only 85-100 minutes. Because we have such limited bodily stores and carbohydrate is the best energy source during moderate to heavy exercise, it is imperative that carbohydrate be ingested during exercise in order to perform at the highest levels possible. Over the past two decades, scientific research has continuously demonstrated that 30-60 grams of carbohydrate should be consumed per hour of exercise in order to improve endurance performance. Why? During activity lasting longer than 60 minutes, glycogen levels begin to diminish and there is a progressive shift from muscle glycogen over to blood glucose as the body’s primary fuel source. When muscle glycogen levels are low, the consumption of carbohydrate serves to maintain proper levels of blood glucose and delay the onset of fatigue. In addition to this mechanism, carbohydrate ingestion also exerts its benefits at higher intensities of exercise by delaying and/or preventing muscle glycogen depletion, otherwise known as glycogen sparing.
Having said that, which most of you probably knew anyway, here are our recommendations for nutrition during a half-Ironman race, assuming a five-hour finish:
- In the transition area following the swim, take 10-12 ounces of water or a fluid replacement drink.
- Once on the bike leg, about 20-30 minutes in, consume a Carb-BOOM. Follow with 8-10 ounces of water or a fluid replacement drink.
- Eat another Carb-BOOM every 35-45 minutes, depending on how you feel, but make sure that you’re drinking plenty of fluids throughout the bike leg to stay hydrated.
- In the transition area to begin the run, drink another 8-10 ounces of water. At around the 3-4 mile mark of the half-marathon, eat a Carb-BOOM. Follow with 8-10 ounces of water. Do this again around the 6-7 mile mark and a final time at the 9-10 mile mark.
SLOWTWITCH QUESTION TWO: Why are gels typically sold in 100 calorie packets?
Mainly for convenience. As stated above, it is recommended that 30-60 grams of carbohydrate should be consumed per hour of exercise in order to delay fatigue. Thirty to 60 grams of carbohydrate equates to 120-240 calories. Carbohydrate and caloric needs vary depending on gender, body weight and the intensity of activity. Ingesting too much carbohydrate at one time can cause gastrointestinal distress and hinder absorption, which can lead to impaired performance for the athlete. So rather than create a gel package that contains this higher carbohydrate and caloric value, which may not be the ideal dosage for everyone, it makes more sense to provide the energy source in an amount closer to the lower levels of the suggested nutrient range. This enables the athlete to easily plan out and prepare carbohydrate needs as it applies to the duration and intensity of activity as well as to the specific requirements of the individual.
For those seeking an alternative to the 100-calorie packet, gel flasks are a great way for athletes to arm themselves with a self-measured amount of calories and carbohydrate. Flasks allow the athlete a little more flexibility in planning out their energy needs. Rather than throw 3-4 gel packets of Carb-BOOM in a pocket or backpack, the individual can load up a gel flask, (which typically holds up to 4 packets’ worth) and have the convenience of consuming as much or as little gel as desired throughout the training bout or competition. Any unused Carb-BOOM can be kept in the gel flask and then stored in the refrigerator until the next workout/race.
In an effort to offer the athlete an additional serving size option, which would provide an economical and environmental advantage, Carb-BOOM is currently looking into the avenue of packaging their gels in a larger volume.
SLOWTWITCH QUESTION THREE: Are there new or different delivery systems on the horizon?
Within the endurance community, energy gels are the most ‘cutting edge’ carbohydrate replacement to date. The sport nutrition market really began several decades ago with the introduction of Gatorade and other sports drinks. Energy bars were the next big sports food to hit the scene and were born out of the need that athletes ‘on the go’ wanted a convenient and more compact source of carbohydrates during endurance activity than sports drinks could offer. Carbohydrate energy gels, a sort of hybrid between the sports drink and energy bar, combined the best attributes of both and emerged several years later in the early-mid ‘90s. Gels offer the athlete a super-concentrated source of carbohydrate that is convenient, portable, easily absorbed and gentle on the stomach during periods of peak performance. So, what (if anything) will replace gels as the next advancement in sport nutrition? Who knows? We’re not exactly sure ourselves.
However, we would like to briefly address one aspect of the gel market that called for a definite improvement—and one that Carb-BOOM has successfully tackled. This aspect is the simple issue of taste. Until recently, taste has been one of the most limiting factors in the acceptance and popularity of energy gels among the athletic community. The urgent need for a great-tasting gel is what motivated Carb-BOOM to introduce their three new flavors last fall. Carb-BOOM uses real fruit in its formulation to offer a gel that is clean, natural and often produces a response of, "Wow! This actually tastes good!"
You did mention the subject of powdered gels so we’ll address this point briefly. The idea of a gel in powdered form has been looked at already. High Five, a company in Europe, experimented with this concept several years ago. Whether or not this product is still on he market is not known; however, two major drawbacks that prevent powdered gels as a viable option are solubility and taste. It is very difficult to achieve the proper homogeneity, consistency and "mouth feel" by simply adding water to a powder and shaking it up. Getting it to taste good is whole different hurdle to surmount.
SLOWTWITCH QUESTION FOUR: What is the life of a gel in its plastic container?
Carb-BOOM has a shelf life of one to two years if unopened. Once the foil pack is open, any leftover portions of Carb-BOOM should be kept in the refrigerator. It’s difficult to predict the exact stability of a gel after the seal has been broken due to multiple factors that affect food freshness. However, a general rule to follow is that once Carb-BOOM has been opened, it can be safely kept in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.
