GU Roctane Ultra Endurance Gel : Gu to a Higher Power

Though I've been using GU for close to 15 years - it's a staple at endurance events of all kinds, and I've done all kinds of endurance events - I have one serious problem with the product. Typically, during a long kayak race I suck back one GU per hour.   By the time I'm ready for my third, I'm so close to bonking that my hands are so cramped and my muscles so wobbly that I'm likely to shoot most of the contents onto the side of my face.

Then I spend the next five minutes trying to lick the viscous substance out of my mustache - not easy when I'm breathing as hard as a bongo player at the end of a solo.   GU sells an easy-to-squeeze no-mess flask that holds up to five packets but I can never find mine when I need it and, well, perhaps I don't mind having GU all over my face as much as all that.

While the latest and greatest offering from GU may have a higher concentration of amino acids and citrates (plus a new amino acid complex with an unpronounceable ingredient called Ornithine Alpha-Ketaglutarate that's supposed to deal with lactic acid build-up more efficiently), I'm not so sure about the name Roctane. Every time I grab one of the slick two-tone packets from my neoprene shorts I pause, wondering if I should eat it or rub it on my head to combat male pattern baldness.

But the stuff works.  I used GU's Roctane through the summer and fall last year, and found it gave me quite a bit more bang for my liquid carbohydrate buck. There are a myriad of scientific explanations for this, such as higher levels of branch chain amino acids, citrates (potassium, sodium and citric acid), extra potassium and a few other concepts pertaining to the Krebs cycle, but the bottom line is that Roctane appears to ramp up the body's ability to absorb fluid into the bloodstream and help me get down the road (or water), reducing my chances of bonking (that left-for-dead feeling often associated with endurance sports).

Bottom Line: The same solid liquid carbohydrate that GU's been making since 1991 with the latest and greatest scientific research. Please note that Roctane contains 35 mg of caffeine - roughly the equivalent to a can of Coke - so try it first in training before you use it in a race.--J.G. (Feb 09)

Available in two flavors: Blueberry Pomegranate and Vanilla Orange.

BUY ONLINE:a box with 24 packets is $60, click on icon to purchase

Manufacturer's Site: www.guenergy.com

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