As a member of Team Running Free, I was allowed to enter multiple entries for the Team Running Free lottery, but this year I decided to gamble and only enter a single entry for the GU prize because that was the prize that I was most interested in this year. I was thrilled when I was notified that I had won a GU credit, and promptly drove to Markham to claim my prize. I selected two flavours of the regular hydration mix (blueberry pomegranate and lemon berry), 2 flavours of GU chews (strawberry and blueberry pomegranate), and a tube of GU drink tabs (strawberry lemonade).
I have tried all of these products before and they have been amazing, so those were easy choices. I have also tried their gels, which are also great, but I still have a few, and I have been biking more than running, so this seemed like the best mix of products for me this year. The drink mix powder and the drink tabs dissolve easily with a quick shake of the water bottle, and I like the taste of these mixes. The GU hydration mixes are my top choice for hydration for training and for triathlon racing.
I like to bring chews and a drink tab on long bike rides to replace calories and electrolytes. I also consume chews on the bike portion of my triathlon races to ensure I have energy during the run portion of the race.
The drink tab is a convenient way to ensure I have enough electrolytes to finish a ride because I only need to find a water fountain to refill my water bottle, and the drink tab dissolves quickly to create a deliciously tangy sports drink which isn’t always available for purchase when you are biking in remote areas.
The GU energy chews pack 16 chews in a 60 g package. Each “serving” is 8 chews, so there are 2 servings in each package. Because my training sessions and races are 2.5 – 3.5 hours long, I can easily justify both servings on a single ride or race. They are bite-sized, which is very convenient for popping one in my mouth every once in a while. They are easy to chew and swallow, making them perfect choices for nutrition on the go. They pack 90 calories per serving, with 22 g of carbohydrates (10 g of sugar), 40 mg of sodium, and 10 mg of potassium. Note the strawberry chews have 20 mg of caffeine, but there is no caffeine in the blueberry pomegranate. Both flavours are gluten-free and vegan.
The GU drink tabs come in multiple flavours, some with caffeine and some without, and I stayed with my safe choice of Strawberry Lemonade (no caffeine) – a flavour I have tried and liked before. Maybe one day I will get adventurous and try a new flavour, but I am a creature of habit, so this seems unlikely. : ) There are 12 drink tabs per tube, and each 4.7 g tab contains 10 calories, with 320 mg of sodium, 3g of Carbs, 1 g of added sugars, and 55 mg of potassium. You just add one tab to a 16 oz bottle of water, and you are on your way to replacing the salt lost when you sweat.
I am very pleased with the taste, convenience, and nutritional benefits of all of these GU products, and I will happily purchase more of these products in the future.
