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Oct 2018
5:58pm, 29 Oct 2018
176 posts
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roberton
I really don't get the attitude of runners or cyclist who drop litter when just on a run/trip. That's straightforward littering and is unforgiveable.
In races there are sweepup operations, or at least there *might* be, so I think people assume it is ok because a cleanup is part of the event. I think there some education about what there is, or what might get missed would help.
Of course there will be idiots, but telling people what they are responsible for will I think make some difference.
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Oct 2018
6:22pm, 29 Oct 2018
288 posts
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Jenelopy
Personally I hope the trend for gels passes. They generate a huge amount of waste per calorie, and even on races who strictly enforce a "if you litter you are disqualified" still seem to get those tabs you pull off on the ground. And I suspect they are hard enough to wash that they usually go to landfill.
I have it admit that I've never had one (I'm slow enough that I can eat "food" not "race fuel"), but there must be other less packaged options out there surely? Perhaps something like those dextrose energy tabs I remember from decades ago.
Or a niche for a company to make more environmentally friendly race fuel!
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Oct 2018
6:51pm, 29 Oct 2018
3,293 posts
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run free
There is a company that has created banana leaf wrapped guava paste. Found it too sweet for my liking, same with gels
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Oct 2018
6:52pm, 29 Oct 2018
3,294 posts
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run free
The only alternative is to create news about gels decaying teeth, potential cause of diabetes, strokes, etc 
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Oct 2018
7:04pm, 29 Oct 2018
39,453 posts
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Velociraptor
Companies are getting in on the act with "race fuel" that is allegedly "real food" but it tends to be an expensive premium-marketed product and based on dried fruit which is about the worst thing possible for dental health. There was a gruesome fad, now apparently dwindling though not yet extinct, among ultramarathon runners for eating squeezy packs of baby food, which is just as bad as gels as it uses the same sort of packaging and probably gives even fewer useful calories (and less salt and sugar, which are quite useful nutrients on endurance events) per gram of litter.
I reckon we need a few elites to step up and say, "The reason my race times have improved is that I stopped using gels." That tactic appears to have done wonders for the rate of veganism among amateur athletes. And not eating animal products is probably as good as not eating gels in the big environmental picture
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Oct 2018
7:41pm, 29 Oct 2018
18,617 posts
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Lizzie W
"Woman WINS at running by NOT eating this ONE food"
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Oct 2018
9:30am, 30 Oct 2018
177 posts
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roberton
"gruesome fad"
And there was me thinking it was good that I was getting one of my five a day eating pureed fruit rather than just sugar. Clearly I can't win.
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Oct 2018
9:36am, 30 Oct 2018
39,458 posts
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Velociraptor
You can win, roberton, but that doesn't make adult wannabe-athletes sucking at baby-mush any less gruesome and ridiculous
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Oct 2018
10:13am, 30 Oct 2018
178 posts
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roberton
wannabe-athlete does sound about right The emphasis on the wannabe!
The packaging is a problem (I'll vaguely protest they are only for race days and for the practice run) but it's clearly a waste and avoidable. I do also use those little packets of raisins in a cardboard box. And yes, they're aimed at kids.
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Nov 2018
10:32am, 6 Nov 2018
29,513 posts
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Old Croc
Well our “goody bottles” were really well received.
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