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Sep 2015
11:22am, 4 Sep 2015
1,384 posts
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Steampunk seratonin
I had a weird experience yesterday.
I am 6 weeks into a HM training schedule and my session yesterday was: 7 miles with 3 x 1600 @ 8.10 with 800m jogs.
I had a weetabix for breakfast and a fruit juice. At 10.30 I ate a Nature Valley bar and a satsuma. A couple of cups of tea at various times.
At 1300, I changed, stretched mobilised the garmin, and just before setting off I popped Nectar Energy Gel.
During my warm up mile, I experienced heart palpitations which lasted maybe a minute or so. I did not stop but I was not running particularly fast ( 10.23 pace).
The only other time I have had this was back in 2012 when I was 90 minutes into Leicester HM and popped a gel (though I think that was a Torq). I did not finish well and ended up doing the race in 2:11.
I have been using Nectar for three or four years and have had no problems. I tend to use them late into long runs or like yesterday just before a run when I know that the session is going to be challenging and want to give myself a boost. The session yesterday was generally okay and my splits were:
Warm up - 1 mile = 10.23,
warm up - 0.5 mile = 4.51,
Interval 1 - 1 mile = 8.00,
Jog - 500 metres = 4.50,
Interval 2 - 1 mile = 8.01,
Jog - 500 metres = 5.06,
Interval 3 - 1 mile = 8.34,
Jog - 500 metres 5.14,
Cool down - 1 mile 10.36,
Cool down - 0.2 mile = 2.16
Pretty much on target, so it did not affect my overall performance.
Any one else had a problem like this with energy gels? Should I stop using them if it gives me a heart palpitation?
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Sep 2015
11:29am, 4 Sep 2015
22,989 posts
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Fleece and Dust
Do they have caffeine in them?
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Sep 2015
11:45am, 4 Sep 2015
1,386 posts
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Steampunk seratonin
I don't think so.
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Sep 2015
11:52am, 4 Sep 2015
1,140 posts
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Spleen
As far as I can tell they don't have caffeine. Ingredients are Water, Maltodextrin, Fructose, Citric Acid, Gelling Agent (Xanthan Gum, Sodium Carboxymethylcellulose), Flavour, Vitamin Blend, Preservative (Potassium Sorbate), Natural Colour (Carotene). Yum.
Maybe you just had too much sugar? Everyone is different but what you'd eaten for breakfast would be enough for me, eating a gel before starting the run would just dump a load of unnecessary sugar on top of what was already in the muscles.
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Sep 2015
11:57am, 4 Sep 2015
6,835 posts
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simbil
Could be Hyperglycemia - do you have diabeties? Or as Spleen says, maybe just way more sugar than your body can handle.
I'd just stop using them.
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Sep 2015
11:57am, 4 Sep 2015
10,886 posts
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Cavey
Never had that before. I just don't like the consistency of them, and have felt a bit sick on occassion.
I like Shot Bloks much more.
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Sep 2015
12:55pm, 4 Sep 2015
30,021 posts
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Nellers
Not an expert or a doctor or anything so feel free to tell me I'm talking Bo110cks but if you've been using gels for all that time and you've had only 2 issues then I don't think it can be the gels causing the palpitations.
2 seperate bits of advice:
1) You're only doing a total of 7 miles. If you're eating well generally you should have enough glycogen stores to not need a gel for that duration. I'd be inclined not to beother as that will also promote more fat-burning during training and make it easier to maintain a pace later in the race itself
2) maybe get yourself to the doc and get an ECG done. If you've not had any pain or discomfort and it's only happened twise in 3 years it doesn't sound like a big issue but you never know.
Either way I hope you don't have any ore problems and hopefully we'll get to say hello at St Neots. Good luck.
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Sep 2015
1:20pm, 4 Sep 2015
1,390 posts
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Steampunk seratonin
Thanks for the advice everyone.
Nellars - I am really looking forward to St Neots especially as there will be a few Fetchies that I am looking forward to meeting. 
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Sep 2015
1:24pm, 4 Sep 2015
18,763 posts
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sheri3004
Palpitations can be caused by various things (including hyperthyroidism, which I have). I think it is unlikely to be the gels, as Nellers says. It's unlikely to be a major problem but I would get it checked out if it happens again.
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Sep 2015
2:05pm, 4 Sep 2015
7,488 posts
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Maz Heeps
Sounds a bit like sugar rush, but with nowhere for it to go it made you go jittery...
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