Fuel for runners is so important and it’s good to have a bank of energy gel alternatives that you can use during a big race if gels just aren’t your thing!
A lot of people aren’t big fans of energy gels and there are some very good reasons why this is the case!
Whilst I do think that they are very useful, there are also disadvantages of energy gels; they can be sticky, difficult to open and for some people the texture is just a bit gross.
Let me talk you through my top 4 energy gel alternatives so that you can know what your options are! In my experience, these 4 alternatives are all awesome and a great change to the norm.
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First things first, let’s talk about why you are going to need running fuel foods if you are doing any kind of endurance race, from marathons to triathlons.
During a running event like a marathon you have two major sources of fuel for energy: fats and carbohydrates. You will use a combination of the two when you run.
The average person only has about 2500 calories worth of energy stored as carbohydrates, compared to around 50,000 calories stored as fat.
The amount of energy you have stored as carbs is only enough for about 90 minutes of hard, steady running - and that's if you're already fully stocked to start with.
If you don't consume carbohydrates then the risk is that you'll run out of them, and we call that bonking or hitting the wall.
You won’t be able to run as fast and you’ll feel absolutely awful.
Because your carb stores are limited, and because they are the most important fuel source for optimal performance, carbs should be your focus when it comes to what to eat during a marathon or other endurance event.
When I do 1:1 nutrition coaching for athletes, my usual recommendation is 50g carbs per hour for running, but this is also highly individual and every runner may tolerate different amounts.
I always advise that you practice during training to see if you need to scale that up or down.
There are many reasons why you might be looking for alternatives to gel.
A common complaint is that gels cause GI distress, and this does happen. However, in my experience this is usually due to an added ingredient in the mixture rather than the energy source itself, such as glucose or fructose.
You can try experimenting with different brands to see what works best for you.
Additionally, some people actually end up consuming more than their body can handle, which leads to GI upset because they have unabsorbed nutrition bouncing around while they run.
You can train your body to be able to handle carbs better, so I always advise practicing in training.
Another problem with energy gels is that the taste or texture can be offputting. Many athletes find their gloopy, claggy texture off putting and their flavor and aftertaste highly unpleasant.
This is how my wife feels; she can’t stand them at all! However, this said, the one brand that she will use is Maurten.
I’m not sponsored by Maurten, this is my honest opinion, speaking from my wife’s experience and my own: Maurten gels are great to try if you don’t like the traditional energy gel.
They are more jelly-like than gloopy and have a pretty neutral flavor. Plus, Maurten has developed a hydrogel technology that is designed to minimise the chance of experiencing stomach upset when you take their products.
I recently reviewed their gel 160, and I also wrote a whole article on how to fuel a marathon with Maurten products! I know I have promised you alternatives to energy gels (and you’ll get them!) but it’s worth checking this brand out, as even some of the most die-hard gel averse athletes find their products worthwhile!
So, what are my favorite go-to alternatives to energy gel for running? Let’s get into it!
Carbohydrate based drinks
These are a simple no fuss option that can definitely get you through a marathon.
If you are racing in an official marathon, they should all have aid stations and will usually provide carbohydrate based drinks, so you could get all your carbs through those!
Check the runners guide for your race and see what is on offer at the aid stations and how frequently they are spaced out.
I usually recommend drinking a minimum of 300ml of fluid per hour anyway for long distance running, but if you can push that up then it will be beneficial. If you are getting your 50g carbs per hour through carb-based drinks, try to work out how you can get your fluid and carb requirements in one.
If the aid stations don’t have the carb-based drink you want, you can carry a concentrated drink mix on your person and add it to water as you go.
The main limiting factor for fluid only option is how much you want to drink and how much you can tolerate.
You can sip a drink slower than you can take an energy gel so it’s a lot easier to work out what your limit is tolerance wise by listening to your body as you go.
2. Chew Blocks or Bars
Not to be confused with energy bars (covered below), chew blocks are somewhere between energy bars and energy gels.
They are firmer than a gel and many people find the texture more pleasant. The thing to be aware of is can you handle the chewing while running!
A notable product to mention here is Beta Fuel Chews. Again, totally unsponsored/unaffiliated with the brand, I just think they are a great product and many of my clients have used these as energy gel alternatives.
Chew bars like Beta Fuel chews are usually in convenient packaging that is easy enough to open when running. You can carry them on a running belt or in your pocket.
3. Energy Bars
Energy bars can be a good option for those of you who want more of a bite and some solid food to fuel your run.
Generally I don’t recommend solid food for running because it’s more likely to cause stomach upset, but I know some people want it anyway and can handle it.
Sport bars will often contain a relatively high amount of protein, fat and fibre, which is part of the reason why they’re more risky, so I’d suggest using bars with as little of those nutrients as possible.
Maurten gets another honourable mention here for their Solid bar. It has a reasonably good nutritional profile compared to lots of other bars and is probably the least likely to cause GI distress.
Another bar you could go for is the OTE Duo bar.
With bars in general, you should be aware that they’re harder to eat while running than energy gels.
You’ll need to practice eating and running during training to make sure that you can actually do it.
Personally, I found the Maurten Solid bars pretty difficult to eat while running, but this is all down to personal preference!
4.Natural energy gel alternatives
If you want to stick to natural fuel for runners, you could try dried fruit, honey, or applesauce pouches.
Dried fruit such as pineapple, banana chips, dates, raisins or apricots contain concentrated amounts of simple carbs.
The only issue could be stomach upset, given that these are solid foods and likely to contain some amount of fibre which can be harder to digest.
As ever, I recommend trialing this option during training to see what your body can handle.
Honey or applesauce pouches will contain a lot less fibre and therefore be less likely to cause GI distress.
However, they usually only contain around 15-40g carbs per pouch, so you will have to carry a lot of them to meet your necessary carb intake!
Those are all my favorite energy gel alternatives! Hopefully you find something that works for you.
For a quick fire breakdown of energy gel alternatives as fuel for runners, check out my answers to some commonly asked questions. Drop me a comment below if you have a question I haven’t answered!
What can I use instead of energy gels?
Instead of energy gels for running, you can use energy bars, chew bars, carb-based drinks or natural products such as dried fruit, honey and applesauce. These all contained high amounts of simple carbs.
What is the best fuel for running not gels?
One option is carb-based drinks as the best fuel for running instead of gels. These are easier to digest than other gel alternatives and they are generally available at aid stations along a marathon route, meaning you don’t have to carry everything with you. You could also try chew bars or blocks, a hybrid between an energy gel and an energy bar.
Do you really need energy gels?
You don’t specifically need to use energy gels because there are many effective energy gel alternatives out there. However, it is crucial that you use some kind of fuel for runners when participating in endurance events, because you will need to top up your carb stores or face ‘hitting the wall’.
