Mile Long Legs

Product:  Lemon GU Chomps Energy Chews

Cost:  Approximately $2.20 USD/2.1 oz. package

Keeping myself fueled and hydrated during my long runs is a top priority.  Over the last couple of years I’ve munched down and spit out various kinds of fuel, gels, bars, blocks, gummies, etc… and I’ll be the first to say that what works for one person will not necessarily be the thing that works best for you.  Really, trial and error is, unfortunately, the only way to go.  Having said that, I’d like to introduce you to one of my very favorite tasty, energy-inducing treats: GU Chomps!

GU Chomps are the chewy version of GU energy gels, so if you’re a texture-obsessed person who can’t stand the liquidy texture of most gels, these chomps are a great alternative, do keep in mind, that since they are a semi-solid, they will take about 15 minutes to reach your bloodstream, which is a little bit longer than its gel counterpart.  Each 2.1 oz. package contains 2 servings (4 chomps per serving) and are packed full of carbohydrates (a blend of complex and simple), amino acids, antioxidants, and electrolytes, with a total of 180 calories and 60 grams of carbs per package and are gluten free.  Each package is meant to be enough fuel for 1.5 to 2 hours of activity, this of course fluctuates from athlete to athlete.  These tasty chomps are available in a variety of yummy flavors, some of which are caffeinated for that extra kick!

So let’s get down to it!  I received some of these delightfully lemony Chomps to try out, and as a citrus-everything-lover, I was not disappointed.  As mentioned before, each Chomps package contains 2 servings, plenty for a mid-length run for myself.  The packaging is compact enough that it’s relatively easy for me to stash on my body for my run.  They fit perfectly in my hand-held water bottle sleeve and they also fit just fine tucked into the small pocket of my shorts.  The package is scored in the upper corner, making it easy to tear open with either your fingers or your teeth, I personally tend to use my teeth since my other hand is usually busy high-fiving other runners 😉 .  One of my favorite things about these is that you can easily proportion off as many individual Chomps as you like to take at one time and then roll up the package and stash it away for later use.  Sometimes in long-distance races I struggle to take in a lot of nutrition at one time, I feel like when you open a gel it’s an “all or nothing” type situation, whereas with these handy little Chomps you can pop a few and save the rest for later on.

So how do these little guys taste?  Pretty darn good! As I mentioned before I have a weakness for anything citrus, and these lemon chomps definitely fit the bill.  They aren’t overly sweet or sour and are very palatable, with a pleasant lemony taste.  I personally would prefer them to be a little more tart, but I think my palate craves sour more than the average person.  🙂  These lemon Chomps are definitely in my top 3 flavor choices of GU Chomps, in good company with Peach Tea and Watermelon.  On top of the yummy flavor, the texture is great, so you can chew while running and not feel like you’re going to choke or chew for ever, and ever and ever, just to get it down.

Do they work?  They do the trick for me!  As I mentioned before, the Chomps can take a wee bit longer to give you that burst of energy in comparison to the gels, so plan accordingly.  I’ve been using GU Energy lab products for quite some time now and they’ve helped get me through many half marathons, a couple of marathons and many, many long runs.  They give me the energy pick-me-up when needed and keep me going strong throughout my sweatfests.

So there you have it, Lemon GU Chomps definitely get a thumbs up from me! I want to hear from you guys, what are your favorite GU flavors? What is your preferred fuel for long runs and rides?

xoxo, MLL

Flavor:  4/5
Portability:  4/5
Cost:  4/5
Effectiveness: 4/5

TOTAL: 16/20