Gels, Shot Bloks, how to use them?

I've just been searching for lucozade gels high and low and failed! I've been using lucozade gels with no problems, and got them from Boots. However in the past 2 weeks, they've run out of stock. I've just been to my local sainsbury's, superdrug, up and running, local tesco - and non of them stock lucozade. Out of desperation, I ended up at a cycling shop, and got a couple of shot bloks and SIS GO and SIS SMART gels - all of which I haven't tried! I need to try them for my last LSR this weekend before tapering, and wonder if anyone has any advice as to how to take them. I mean, do people have the Bloks as well as the gel, and when would they take them? If you take both, the bloks suggest 3-6 bloks every hour, can you take the gels on top of that? Could we actually take too much of anything? Would drinking sports drink be then too much and should I therefore stick to water???

 Oh, and apart from the mode of ingestion, is there any benefit of one over the other (shot bloks vs gels)? Also should I just stick to the SIS SMART with caffeine with all my gels, or is there disadvantage to that?

Thanks!

Comments

  • I use sis go gels every 5 miles up to 15 and then use the sis smart gel at 15 and 20 and hopefully that will see me through. I found the shot bloks made no difference at all to me, I prefer the odd jelly baby and Torq bar if I get hungry (which I do at about 15 miles)

    You just have to try and see what works for you.
  •  I have tried the shot bloks but found them too chewy/sticky and could not get them down without a drink.   I do  use the SIS gels,  about every 5 miles also and these can be taken without extra water at the time and slip right down without leaving a lot of sticky residue.

     Your body can only process so much carbohydrate per hour so there is not much advantage in overloading with gels and bloks.  Sports drink too should not overload you if it is electrolyte based rather than carbohydrate.

     As runnersbean says try them both and see what works for you.

  • I had the same problem finding the lucozade gels but I managed to find some today in asda.
  • Sticky88Sticky88 ✭✭✭
    Me too, got a load of the lucozade gels at Asda yesterday, although I did try the Clif Shot Bloks and SIS SMART gels during my LSR today. I don't seem to notice any difference in efficacy from them over lucozade gels. Taste-wise, I had no problems with any of them. I think I may go with lucozade gels and shot bloks on the day. I got so used to lucozade gels that the SIS gels are too watery for me!
  • Shotbloks contain electrolytes wheras many of the gels are carb only.  

    Alternatively

  • Whoops!  Just clicked a bit further on and they are out of stock too image  Might be a production problem
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