Rob from Dunedin here – a weekend warrior - ultra marathoner.
Last summer I decided to go properly wild and run the length of our beautiful Aotearoa...that’s right! I went from running an Ultra here and there, to running that nearly every day for 10 weeks, completing the 3000km Te Araroa Trail from Cape Reinga to Bluff. We raised over $15,000 for Gumboot Friday along the way, supporting men’s mental health.
[Ninety Mile Beach - Sand for literally days!]
Running a marathon or more a day requires huge amounts of fuel; We were burning upwards of 3000 calories a day, running for 12-14 hours at times. Also, in the peak of summer hydration was critical, at times we had the mercury tipping 30°, well and truly cooking!
[My Epic Road Crew - No road no worries!]
A pillar of success in this mission, staying in the fight, however you want to spin it, were the GU products. The gels, chews, hydration tabs & waffles kept us moving forward. They provided much needed energy and hydration, especially on those long tough days, of which there were a few.
[Sunset Over Pirongia]
Of the range, two products we absolutely could not have gone without were the chews and hydration tabs.
The chews we have always been a fan of, but these became an everyday staple during this mission. I’d have at least a pack a day (for over 70 days!). They taste great and are easy to get down (which was super important at times). Equally as importantly, they always seemed to give me that extra bit of go to knock over that last 5km, climb that hill, or blow the wheels off on a big downhill and make up some time. I found them akin to lollies in the way I was treating them like, well a treat! An equally tasty substitute to your jet planes or the like, but far superior in returns. They really were a key element to covering the kms every day.
[Back Roads - a huge part of the North Island TA Experience!]
The hydration tabs were also vital. Not only are they effective at combating dehydration, what I feel sets them apart is the tab form in a compact tube. With eight tabs to a tube, these were incredible on the long 2-3 days sections where weight and space were critical. Immense bang for buck here, and no messing around with powder on a rocky slope, in the rain, or otherwise! The solid tabs were super easy to pop in a flask on the go. I cannot give these enough kudos, they are truly a must in any long distance runners bag of tricks.
[Looking back from just below Stag Saddle - Highest Point on the TA]
Also, I must give an honourable mention to the caffeine cola gels. In the final weeks when I really started to fatigue, these were another ace up the sleeve to keep us moving.
[Another Ridiculous Central Otago Evening]
To cut a long story short, Gu Energy products are the real deal. I don’t think we would have succeeded in this mission without them. It’s really that simple.
I’m no athlete, just a kiwi bloke who wanted to get out there and have a go. So, whether it’s a half marathon, a day out in the hills, or something more, they have what you need to keep trucking. Go out there and get after it with GU!
[The real hero, and some joker who just ran 3000kms...]
A big thanks to GU and their staff for the support.
Rob aka the Rock n Roll Runner.