directions_run During Run

Salted Watermelon Energy Gel

Name: Salted Watermelon Energy Gel
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 20 min
Yield: 4 gels
Ingredients: 3 cups (450 g) seedless watermelon, cubed; 1/3 cup (113 g) honey; 2 tbsp (30 ml) pure maple syrup; 1/2 tsp fine sea salt; 1 tbsp fresh lime juice

Take every 30-45 min in the heat

The gel for 30°C long runs. Watermelon juice reduced down, honey and maple for carbs, and double the usual salt. Lighter and less cloying than syrup gels when you're hot, with a little extra sodium in every squeeze.

skilletCook10 min

soup_kitchenPrep10 min

restaurantYield4 gels

boltCarbs~33g

water_dropSodium290mg

exerciseProteins~0g

grassFiber~0g

For your run

When: Take every 30-45 min in the heatDetails
Same schedule as any gel, first one at 30 minutes then every 30-45 minutes, but with 290 mg of sodium per gel for hot days. Chase with water.
Why it works: Honey supplies glucose and fructose in about the ratio that absorbs fastest; the reduced watermelon adds fructose, water, and potassium and cuts the syrupy sweetness that becomes hard to stomach in heat. Half a teaspoon of salt across four gels doubles the sodium of a standard gel, which matters when you're losing 1000 mg an hour.
Wrong time: On a cool day the extra salt is unnecessary and you'll just be thirsty. Use the Honey & Banana gel instead and keep this one for heat.
How much: One gel (33 g carb, 290 mg sodium) every 30-45 minutes for 60 g/h. Above 28°C, alternate with the Hot-Weather Electrolyte Drink rather than doubling gels.
On the run: Fresh, so it only keeps 3 days. It's thinner than honey gels and easy to squeeze even when cold. A flask frozen the night before thaws by hour one and stays cool in a vest.
Replaces: Salted or "hydro" gels sold for hot conditions, about $0.50 per gel.
Fits: Long runRaceUltra
GI risk: Low GI risk

Ingredients

Gel

3 cups (450 g) seedless watermelon, cubed

1/3 cup (113 g) honey

2 tbsp (30 ml) pure maple syrup

1/2 tsp fine sea salt

1 tbsp fresh lime juice

Notes

Reducing the strained juice by half is what keeps this from being watery in the flask; skip it and you get a drink, not a gel. It's fresh fruit, so it lasts 3 days in the fridge, not weeks. Make it the night before a hot long run. Pair with the Hot-Weather Electrolyte Drink if you're a heavy sweater; the two together cover carbs and sodium for a July 3-hour run.