FAQ: I do both Enduro riding and MTB, is there a difference in the way I use GT Gel for each sport?
A: Yes there is!
For Enduros:
As you know, this sport is super-intense, so you need to use both GT Gel AND EnduraPower over the day:
Sip the GT Gel (from the 2-stroke bottle) AND USE EnduraPower (at full strength) in every hydration pack (that is, 6 scoops in a 3 litre hydration pack).
In addition, you should sip the GT Gel from the filled 2-stroke bottle intermittently over 4-6 hours – This in conjunction with the EnduraPower.
Hydrate as follows: Enduros (only): Bodyweight x 10ml or 11ml /hr.
Get it right! Read more here…
For MTB:
You choose between GT Gel and EnduraPower (that is, you don’t need to consume both simultaneously, (unless you’re riding with one bottle of water and one bottle of EnduraPower, which is, in effect, diluting the recommended dose of EnduraPower to half of what it should be, per hour).
Usually however, one would either:
1) Sip the GT Gel from the pocket bottle, (aka the 2-stroke bottle) and put only water in your waterbottles/hydration pack;
or
2) Put EnduraPower in your waterbottles/hydration pack, as per prescribed dose and consume as suggested.
If you fill the little pocket bottle with GT Gel right up to the lid, you will get ~3 hours of high heart-rate MTB/cycling performance
(Note: This is pretty much the same for all endurance sports – like running, trail, road running, triathlons, road cycling, distance swimming etc – basically all endurance sports, except Enduros – as explained above).
Many MTBs and cyclists like to ride a couple of hours on EnduraPower and then switch to GT Gel and pocket bottle (as they only need to get water for their water bottles/hydration pack). With this popular approach, that is, switching between the two, you don’t get taste fatigue in the second half! A huge plus!
Hydrate – MTB, Cycling (running, trail, road running, triathlons, road cycling, distance swimming):
Bodyweight x 8ml to 10ml /hr. This varies widely – Personal preference, intensity of pace, training history, gender, age, medical history, ambient temperature…
GT Gel is a huge hit in both MTB and Enduro Riding!
For MTB (also running, trail, road running, triathlons, road cycling, distance swimming), because it allows you to train/race with just water in your water bottles/hydration pack for 3 hours: One pocket bottle gives you 3 hours.
For Enduros… GT Gel is “liquid gold” in preventing cramps, also for preventing fatigue, especially in the 2nd half.
And if you take a swig before the start, GT Gel helps lessen arm-pump!