Zenaida Arroyo

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We got hit with some snow over the weekend.  Ugh, I hate snow!  You’d think that by now I would be used to it?  Nope.  Never.  I went out on Saturday for a run but couldn’t navigate the street and sidewalk with all of the snow.  Frustrated I went home.  I could have gone to the gym but didn’t want to deal with running 6 miles on the treadmill.

Throughout my years of running I’ve used many different brands of fuel.  I remember in the beginning I would only use Gatorade.  Why not?  It was there at almost every race and everyone swore by it.  I didn’t know any better.

With so many brands out there, it is hard to find the “best” one.  I can only tell you what I like and works for me, but maybe you are already using them or will be intrigued to try one of them.

Nuun:  This isn’t exactly a fuel but I use it every single day whether I run or not.  During the week my runs are usually 3-5 miles and I try to do them before work.  It is way too early to eat anything so I just drink coffee and water with Nuun.  I am not exactly a fan of the “new” taste from 2-3 years ago (Nuun Hydration).  I still buy the old version from Amazon.  My favorite flavors were Watermelon and Kona Cola.  Now I like grape and orange.

Generation UCAN:  Who hasn’t heard of UCAN?  If it is good enough for Meb, then it is good enough for me.  I remember first hearing about this from Rebecca on a trip to San Diego.  She told me that her coach recommended it.  I didn’t care for it back then but began using it about 3 years.  It took some time to get used to this because I was used to eating a gel every 3-4 miles.  With UCAN it is different.  Depending on how long your run is, you drink this about 30 minutes before and then drink water for the rest of your run.  I’ve heard of people drinking another serving or using a gel or some other sort of fuel for the rest of the run.  “UCAN delivers smarter energy powered by SuperStarch®, a slow-release complex carbohydrate that uniquely delivers steady, long-lasting energy to keep you fueled and feeling good!”  I know Elizabeth has made a gel to use on her runs.  She also wrote a great review about Generation UCAN.  

Huma Gels:  This is an all natural chia gel.  They also taste great!  I’ve also used these here and there.  The secret is the chia seeds.  The Tarahumara runners use chia seeds for fuel on their ultramarathons.  I have tried almost all of the flavors but the ones I like more are the Huma +.  The Strawberry Lemonade is delicious!

Maurten:  I’ve used both the gel and drink mix.  The taste is sweet and the consistency of the gel reminds me of jello.  There is only one version of the gel while there are two for the drink mix (Drink Mix 160 and Drink Mix 320).  “The Drink Mix 320 contains nearly 14 percent – or 80 grams – of carbohydrates when mixed.  That’s about twice as much carbs as was previously thought possible for the body to tolerate.”  Other benefits of the drink include no added flavor and no colorants or preservatives.  The drink really has no flavor but just reminds me of water and sugar mixed together.  

Right now in my pantry I have Generation UCAN, Nuun, and Huma Gels.  I am training for a couple half marathons and plan to use them on my training runs.

This week’s Tuesday Topic: How do you fuel for a run?  You can write about this topic, or feel free to post any running related blog post.  Remember to Link-up with Kim and Zenaida!  Visit at least two of the other linked posts – the more the merrier!  Remember to come back for later linkers!