If you find that energy gels leave you feeling nauseous or, worse, make you rush for the nearest loo mid-race, there are other options. We’ve asked the experts for advice on fuelling if gels aren’t for you. We’ve also rounded up our favourite alternatives to energy gels.

Why do we need to fuel during a race?

We only have a limited capacity to store carbohydrate as glycogen in our muscles. During the course of a race, that glycogen is converted into glucose, which powers your muscles. You will need to consume some extra carbohydrate during a race that lasts more than 90 minutes or so, unless you want to hit the wall.

The rate at which you use up your glycogen stores is very individual. It depends partly on how fast you can run before your body switches from predominantly burning body fat to burning just carbohydrate (known as metabolic efficiency). It also depends on how well you stocked up your glycogen stores in the 24 hours or so before the race. So make sure you carb load!

Do you need extra glycogen stores for less than a half marathon?

If you’re racing a 5K or 10K, there’s no need to consume anything except water unless your race is going to take you more than 90 minutes. A few sweets in your pocket can help give you a mental boost midway, though! Do have some carbs as part of your meal the night before, such as pasta, rice, potato or bread. Top up your glycogen stores in the hour or two before the race. A good breakfast might be porridge, banana, fruit juice, or toast and honey.

What’s a good energy gel alternative?

Sports nutrition research suggests that you need to consume around 60g of carbohydrate per hour of running to optimise your race performance. So, what is the best energy gels alternative for you? Here are some suggestions.

• Sports drinks
  Your race might provide a sports drink on the course, but if you’d like to guarantee one then it’s best to mix up your own and take it with you. If you struggle with digesting sports products, look for one which has maltodextrin (a form of glucose) or isomaltulose as its main ingredient, rather than fructose. These are likely to be easier on the stomach.
• Jellies and chews
  These can be eaten in small quantities, which is easier on the stomach than gulping down a gel.
• Chia seed gels
  A good alternative to traditional gels for those looking for a more natural and less sickly product. You fill them with water and the chia seeds form a gel in about ten minutes.
• Real food
  You may prefer to choose natural wholefoods to help fuel your long runs and races. These are perhaps best suited to running at a slower pace, as solid foods are harder to digest at high intensities. They make a particularly good choice for ultra marathons. You are likely to want some ‘real food’, and may be carrying a backpack with you to store your supplies. A medium banana gives you 27g of carbohydrates. Raisins are easy to carry in a bag or small box, and a 30g handful gives you 24g of carbs.

Our favourite energy gel alternatives

• Energy chews
• Energy bars
• Energy drinks

Best energy chews for runners

Precision Hydration PF 30 Chew 

What our tester said

“This is what I’m looking for in a chew – a gentle flavour, easy to eat and packed full of carb. These look a bit and feel a bit like Turkish Delight, but the flavour is very neutral. They have a subtle sweetness that doesn’t overpower and is easy to get down. I also found these chews really easy on the stomach. They were light and didn’t sit uncomfortably in my gut on the run.

Each pack comes with two chews that contain 15g of carb each, which felt about right for most of the long runs I’m doing at the moment (I’m in the first few weeks of marathon training). I think the price is really reasonable considering the amount of care and quality that’s clearly gone into designing these. They’re top of my list when it comes to potential race-day fuel at the moment!

Clif Bloks Energy Chews 

What our tester said

“These clever chews come in a pack of six that fits easily into a pocket and is about the same size as an energy gel. There’s just shy of 8g of carb in each one (by my calculations). If you were to eat three of them then that would be about the same amount of energy as your standard gel.

I much prefer chewing something on the run, as I find it a better distraction and it makes me take my time with fuelling, so I’d say I preferred these to an energy gel overall. Annoyingly, though, they were really difficult to get into! I almost gave up trying to open the packet, but finally had some success yanking it open with my teeth – not ideal mid-run.”

OTE Energy Chews

What our tester said

“I’m obsessed with the texture of these. They are a see-through, jelly-like consistency which is not only very satisfying to chew, but also slips down very easily! In my early running days I was a Harib0-eater on my long runs, but I always struggled to actually swallow them. This definitely has a sweetie vibe, but without those problems.

It also has an impressive 23g of carbs in this small bar, which is great for space-saving. The shape of the bar has also handily been designed so you can easily split it into three individual chews if you want to space out your fuelling. Big ticks all round for me.”

Best energy bars for runners

Maurten Solid C 160

What our tester said

“OK, I’m leading with the bad here: the packaging. The super-functional design led me to believe that I would be eating something very cardboard-like! But oh did I stand corrected once I tried this bar. This one is designed more for longer runs when you’re taking a proper break to get your carbs back in. It has a gorgeous gooey, chocolatey consistency that I cannot stop thinking about. Yet it also slides down really easily, thanks to its relatively smooth texture – no whole nuts here.

I loved that it was already split into two bars inside the packet, so I could easily grab half and save the rest for later. It had a lovely 40g of carbs to keep me going and no nasty aftertaste. A real find for my energy bar rotation.”

Styrkr Bar50 Energy Bar 

What our tester said

“OK, so this isn’t as easy to get down as a gel when you’re on the run, but who wouldn’t want to eat a Rice Krispy bar mid-marathon?! It’s absolutely delicious. Top marks for taste, at least as far as the Date, Almond & Sea Salt flavour I tested was concerned. The slight saltiness mixed with the sweet was everything I’d been craving on a long run. Plus, 50g of carbs isn’t messing around.

Though slightly less compact than traditional energy gels, this was worth its weight as I could take bites as I went and pop it back in my vest without fear of leakage. Plus, it’s vegan and gluten-free, so most dietary bases are covered. They may be slightly pricier, but I will definitely be snacking on these during marathon training – worth every penny for me.”

Best energy drinks for runners

Tailwind Endurance Fuel

What our tester said

“I know lots of runners love to pop a powdered energy drink in their hydration packs, but I generally hate the taste and the ‘dry mouth’ feeling a lot of them leave behind. But this little number from Tailwind has totally changed my mind. First of all, it knocked socks off of other powders I’ve tried in terms of how easy it was to mix. After just a few shakes it was a beautiful clear liquid – no clumps, dregs or bits floating around.

I’m also obsessed with how it tasted. II tried their ‘Naked’ flavour, which is an unflavoured version. I actually wouldn’t say that it was totally unflavoured – to me it had some light citrusy notes – but what it was blessedly missing was that claggy sweetener taste that many others have. It’s a mix of carbs and electrolytes designed to give you everything you need while running, and I definitely found that I felt hydrated and energised throughout my run. I’m completely obsessed and would drink it all day long, not just on my runs.”

Active Root Sports Drink Mix 

What our tester said

“I never thought I’d write a rave review about something ginger-flavoured, but this drink blew me away! The ginger flavour is so well-balanced – light, sweet and with just a hint of fire on the aftertaste. This mix is ideal if you don’t get on well with the more processed energy ingredients. Its main energy source is natural cane sugar and it has a delightfully short ingredient list.

Because of this, it blended so easily into water and tasted amazing, with no fake aftertaste that often comes from sweeteners. This is another one with both carbs and salts to help replenish everything you need during training. The ginger is also said to help your gastrointestinal system prepare for training, which is a lovely extra benefit to have in your hydration pack.”

TORQ Energy Performance Energy Drink

What our tester said

“This is a great option for long runs, as it has both glucose and fructose which is recommended for energy availability during endurance events. I loved how easy it was to mix, which can make all the difference with sports drinks! I also really appreciated its lovely subtle flavour. It didn’t taste like weak squash, but equally it wasn’t so sweet that I winced as I drank. A personal bugbear of mine when it comes to sports drinks is how long the taste lingers after you sip. Especially if you don’t have capacity to carry water as well, to wash it away! This aftertaste moved on quickly, which I enjoyed.”