PROLYTE: Let me state for the record that soda, especially Colas, are a TERRIBLE choice for pre-, during and post exercise fueling. Not only are they very acidic, but they are loaded with high fructose corn syrup (not to be confused with pure fructose, very different), which can spike blood sugar levels, then cause an insulin rush and the resulting bonk.

Having said that, here's what we feel is a good way to fuel for races:
FOOD: Try eating Oatmeal cooked with apple juice instead of water and adding whey or soy protein powder to it for breakfast. You'll be surprised at how far this will take you through the day. Eggs (mostly whites) with some oatmeal are very good too, you want to make sure to get some protein to slow digestion. Be sure not to load your oatmeal with sugar and don't use the instant packets, they're high in sugar. You want the complex carbs from the oats.

The reason I mention that is so that you can minimize the desire to eat while exercising. During exercise, your gut has very little blood to work with for performing its functions. Thus, digestion is really asking a lot of your body while working out. Your best bet is to use GU (which is basically the same as ProLyte, except its caffeine is from an herbal source and it has citric acid), water and ProLyte. One thing we tell our athletes to do during longer races, and I do it myself, is to get pure maltodextrin (complex carbs) and add it to your sports drink. If you look at Extran, it's predominantly complex carbs from maltodextrin, but little else in the way of electrolytes, vitamins, etc., and it's very, very expensive. (look at the comparison chart) The better thing to do is get ProLyte (which has one of the lowest cost per servings available) and add maltodextrin for longer races. I've loaded up a water bottle with two scoops of ProLyte (60g carbs) and added another 100g of maltodextrin. This gives me approximately 126g complex carbs, 10g Fructose and 24g glucose, plus all the electrolytes, b-vitamins, vitamin C and Pure Caffeine. And it's still cheaper than Extran! (This would provide 640 calories in one water bottle)

If you must eat something, eat fruits such as bananas and apples. Steer clear of citrus fruits because of the high acidity. Apples are also relatively low glycemic, so they will provide a more sustained energy source. Bananas are high in Potassium, which will help prevent cramps. Some other things you should avoid during exercise and racing are fiber, meats and fats. All these things slow down digestion considerably, and just sit in your stomach. If you think fats will provide you with more energy, you're right. But by the time you're done digesting them, you could have burned many times that amount in energy from taking in a steady supply of carbs.

ULTIMA: Many times, I have been asked when to drink and what other products to consume during training and on race day. There is no one cardinal rule that works for everybody. I recommend that your readers experiment during training with different combinations to see what works best for their body. I find that most people can perform very well using Ultima Replenisher and some water as their only replenisher. Some need more carbs and therefore perform better with one Ultima Replenisher and one packet of an energy gel like GU every 45 minutes or every hour. I would not recommend "defizzed" Coke because it contains caffeine and phosphoric acid that will actually work as a diuretic -- the last thing you need on a hot race day.

ELOAD: The principals of human physiology must always be kept in mind when considering food/drink intake during training and competition:

1. Maximum 4-8% carbohydrate drinks are recommended, and we at e load‰ like to limit the upper end at 6% for maximal palatability, optimal digestion and absorption. Coke has a whopping 15% carbohydrate-a recipe for gut irritation if you ingest too much.

2. Fruits like bananas contain fructose, or fruit sugar, as do many sports drinks. Fructose is an undisputed gut irritant, and we at e load‰ do not recommend ingestion of any fructose containing foods/drinks both before or during training/competition, especially if you are "gut sensitive".

3. Gels are a very concentrated source of carbohydrate (very high osmolarity), and have the potential to promote gut irritation because of this fact-if you are "gut sensitive", use with caution, and try to substitute other sources of calories like meal replacement drinks or bars, which contain other nutrients and are not so highly concentrated in carbohydrates.

ECAPS:

ENDURANCE NUTRITION: HOW AND WHAT TO EAT BEFORE, DURING AND AFTER EXERCISE? PRE-EVENT MEAL WARNING [TAKE NO SOONER THAN 3 HOURS BEFORE EXERCISE]

Both maltodextrin and sugar-based foods have corresponding high glycemic indexes which will elevate blood glucose and insulin release at similar rates. The high glycemic index of sugar and maltodextrin ranges between 90-137. High glycemic carbohydrates such as maltodextrins or simple sugars taken 60 MINUTES BEFORE exercise may have the following less-than-optimal or possibly negative effects on performance:

1. Rapid rise in blood sugar raises insulin excess leading to hypoglycemia.
2. High insulin levels inhibit lipid mobilization during aerobic exercise.
3. High insulin-induced blood sugar influx into muscle cells causes a higher rate of carbohydrate metabolism, hence rapid carbohydrate fuel depletion.
4. The pre-event meal hormone insulin-induced blood sugar levels is not affected when ingested 3 hours prior. Hormonal balance is restored 3 hours following a carbohydrate pre-event meal, but is out of metabolic balance if taken within 60 minutes of the start.
5. The metabolic pathway and caloric donation generated from fructose exclude it completely from consideration as an efficient or required carbohydrate in prior to or after energy expense.

Therefore the pre-event meal should consist of 75-100 grams of carbohydrates from complex carbohydrate maltodextrins but should not be taken later than 3 hours prior to an exercise event. Intake of high glycemic carbohydrates between meals may be the No. 1 cause of excessive body weight gain in the off-season, which may be resolved by either lowering the serving size and frequency of high glycemic carbohydrates or choosing below "50" glycemic indexed high fiber carbohydrate foods:

PRE-EVENT MEAL GLYCEMIC INDEX [pre-exercise, in between meals]

• GI of 50-59: Buckwheat, white spaghetti, sweet corn, All-Bran, peas, yam, potato chips.
• GI of 40-49: Wholemeal spaghetti, sweet potato, navy beans, dried peas, oranges, sponge cake
• GI of 30-39: Butterbeans, blackeye peas, apples, milk, yogurt, tomato soup
• GI of 20-29: Kidney beans, lentils, parsnips
• GI of 10-19: Soy beans, peanuts

GATORADE: Clearly, carbohydrate intake is important for maintaining exercise performance and delaying fatigue during prolonged endurance events. However, the intake of carbohydrate should not compromise fluid delivery. For example, too much carbohydrate in a sports drink (or any consumable fluid) delays both gastric emptying and intestinal fluid absorption, increasing the risk for dehydration and gastrointestinal distress. Generally it is recommended that the carbohydrate content of any drink consumed during prolonged exercise not exceed 7%. Food or drinks with a high carbohydrate content are most useful for maximizing muscle carbohydrate stores before exercise or stimulating their rapid recovery after exercise. Nonetheless, there are special circumstances such as during ultra-endurance events, where consuming foods or energy snacks are essential for maintaining the body’s energy needs. Still, adequate fluid consumption along with food and snacks is essential for rapid absorption of nutrients and prevention of stomach upset.

GPUSH: Our view is as follows: What matters is the total exogenous nutritional support an athlete is able to get during an event. The prime need is hydration and the (slightly) secondary need is energy. Both are continuous and developing needs. There are two problems with their replenishment: a) there are real limits to the amount of carbohydrate that can be oxidised (and therefore that it is worth taking in at a time); b) the carbohydrate intake can fight with the fluid intake if the osmolality etc is ignored.

That said, it does not really matter how an individual optimizes for him/herself within what is available, as long as they are attending to the overall hydration and energy needs as best they can and they minimise side-effects (like hypoglycemia): salt tablets, bananas and water can provide the right ingredients; so could the right gel and water.

Obviously in the longer events other things will come into play – type of exercise, weather, breaks/stops, intensity etc, but the same basic principles apply.

For the shorter events (up to about 3 hours) our position is that even though it is possible that an athlete could get to the right mix using gels/water or whatever, all they are really doing is effectively creating a drink inside anyway, so why not get it right from the start and take the proper drink. The web-sites of the bar and gel people are very clear: take them with water/electrolytes. That is the clue for the answer you are trying to get at!

Our research tests have not gone beyond 3 hours, so we need to be a little careful about what we claim for those longer events. We should also condition this answer by saying again, that different bodies are different, and the most important thing is to figure out what works for a particular individual: know that it could be a variety of solutions, but that we believe it is more logical to replenish in the form of a drink.

Please also be clear – we do not recommend taking Gu with our products (G2 or G3 – though it would be an interesting experiment to take Gu with G1).