Biking and Gu

On Friday I picked up my bike from the shop. It was in for a tune-up. I had thought it was not shifting properly so I took it in for the free 30 day tune-up. It ended up that it was shifting fine, I was not pressing it firmly enough. Silly me.
So with the bike in my possession and a beautiful day, I hit the road. I did a 10 mile mostly country trip. It was windy and the hills were abundant. It was a bit of a shocker actually getting out on the bike. For the last several months I have been using the stationary bike at the Y or the spin bike during the tri class. No wind, no hills, no oncoming traffic or traffic laws to obey. It was great to get out and see what I could do. It was not exactly where I would like to be but I did it.
On Sunday I met up with a few fellow classmates from the tri class and did the loop around Lake Lansing. Less traffic to contest with. Fairly flat terrain. However, very windy on the backside of the lake. The loop is 4 miles to the T and we rode it twice through with my time being 34 minutes for 8 miles. A huge improvement from my 54 minutes for 10.1 miles the day before.

I have also been trying a variety of energy supplements over the last week. Here is what I tried and what I thought about each:
Gu- Tri Berry *
After taste was not so pleasant. Left me wanting to chug down a whole lot of water. Probably will not get again.
Clif- Apple Pie ***
Pleasant taste. Actually did taste like apple pie filling. Texture was a bit different. I know I made a funny face when I first had it. But overall did like it. I picked up another one today to give it another shot.
Sports Beans- Fruit Punch *****
Jelly beans that are not candy. Taste absolutely wonderful. Definitely will continue to use.
Honey Stinger- Gold *****
It tastes like honey because it is honey. I felt a quick pick-up and it gave me the necessary energy I needed to complete my ride. I love honey, so taste and texture were perfect for me. I picked up some more of these as well.

I am still learning about energy gels and their use in training and competition. I know that our bodies need potassium and sodium both lost during exercise. These gels have both along with carbohydrates to fuel you. I have found each of these at Playmaker's for $1 a piece. They have many flavors and brands to choose from. If you have anything that you have tried and like, please pass on the info.