How Energy Gels Became the New Fuel for Everyday Runners
From homemade sugar mixtures to packets tucked into running belts, energy gels transformed how runners fuel long distances.
Athletes World
• Energy gels have become a familiar part of distance running, giving everyday runners a convenient way to fuel long workouts and races without slowing down or stopping to eat.
Watch a marathon and you'll see runners tearing open little packets and squeezing a thick, sugary paste into their mouths without breaking stride.
They're energy gels, and they've become a familiar part of distance running. But before these packets existed, endurance athletes had to get creative. Some carried bananas or dried fruit. Others experimented with homemade carbohydrate mixtures, including corn syrup stored in bags attached to their shorts. (Los Angeles Times, 1996)
The problem wasn't finding something that provided energy. It was finding something easy to carry and eat while running.
They're energy gels, and they've become a familiar part of distance running. But before these packets existed, endurance athletes had to get creative. Some carried bananas or dried fruit. Others experimented with homemade carbohydrate mixtures, including corn syrup stored in bags attached to their shorts. (Los Angeles Times, 1996)
The problem wasn't finding something that provided energy. It was finding something easy to carry and eat while running.
