There are dozens of different products on the market to entice runners. Gels. Chews. Liquid calories. How to choose?
When it comes down to it, it is all about experimenting. Nutrition, like everything else in running, is individualized. What works for me, might not work for you. Finding the right formula can be a bit of a rabbit hole.
I first heard about Gnarly while participating in the Two Hearted 50K. The race director was a hardcore Gnarly fan and had it at all of the aid stations. At the time, I was using a different liquid calorie that was favored by many runners I knew, but it wasn’t right for me.
After the race, I decided to give Gnarly a try and I haven’t stopped using it since.
Gnarly Sports Nutrition
Gnarly is focused on providing high-quality sports nutrition products for all levels of athletic performance. Their products are GMO-free, have no artificial colors, no artificial flavors, no soy, and no gluten.
Many products are NSF certified, meaning they undergo third-party testing to prove that what’s on the label is what’s in the product. It also confirms that there are no heavy metals or pesticides in the product.
The company’s dedication to using high-quality products and putting those products through NSF certification testing is one of the reasons why I love Gnarly products.
Gnarly Products I Use
Gnarly has a wide range of products for before, during, and after exercising. They have everything an athlete needs to successfully train. These are the products I’ve been using for nearly two years.
Hydrate
Gnarly Hydrate is my go-to for electrolytes. I typically carry it with me on runs that are more than 6 miles but less than 14. If it is an incredibly hot day, I may even take some with me on shorter runs.
It is low in sugar and best of all, it tastes great. It comes in three flavors.
- Orange Pineapple
- Raspberry
- Ruby Red Grapefruit (my personal favorite)
Fuel20
For longer distances, I switch over to Gnarly’s Fuel20. This is an all-in-one fuel option that contains calories and electrolytes. I typically do 1 scoop per flask, which gives me about 100 calories from sucrose and dextrose.
Uniquely, Fuel20 also takes into consideration recovery. This product contains HMB, a metabolite that helps minimize muscle protein breakdown which can lead to a faster recovery between hard training sessions. Whether this actually helps or not, I’m not sure. If it does, for me, it doesn’t make a noticeable difference.
Gnarly Fuel20 is available in three flavors.
- Tropical
- Limeade (my favorite)
- Cherry Cola (caffeinated)
Like Hydrate, the flavor is light and doesn’t have an overwhelming sugary taste like some other liquid calories I have tried.
Other Products
Additional products that Gnarly has are:
- BCAAs Diety Supplement
- Creatine
- Performance Greens
- Pre-Workout Dietary Supplement
- Collagen Pro
- Vegan Plant Protein
- Whey Grass-fed Protein
- A variety of vitamins
They have convienent sample boxes available for some of their products.
Gnarly even has recipes to help athletes get creative with everyday products, such as protein powders.
Why I Choose Gnarly
I originally chose Gnarly because it was something else to try when other products weren’t doing what I wanted.
I now choose Gnarly because I like the clean ingredients they use, how they use research to back up their products, that they care about the athletes that use their products, and of course, I enjoy the taste and how it makes me feel out on the trail.
Gnarly works great for me. That doesn’t mean it’ll work for you but I highly recommend giving it a try.