On long rides you should try to eat something else besides gels.

I normally go with Cliff Bars or stuff like that. There is no way I could stand getting all my cals from gels alone on long rides.

Part of the problem is that you're overloading. The hatred toward having more gels is your body's way of saying that you have too much in your system already. Three per hour is too much. I assume that when you say you're "going long" that you're probably at a low intensity. Generally, people will need between 30 and 60 g of carbohydrates per hour during moderate- to high-intensity excercise. It sounds like you're doing 90 g during low-intensity. I think you should try eating less on the bike.

I agree with Tikal Dog, on a longer ride like that I would eat some solids. GUs and gels are good for high intensities where you are burning mostly carbs and need energy quick! But on an endurance ride you can afford nutrition that is absorbed slower, last longer and keep your blood sugar balanced better.
I recently got sick of vanilla crisp powerbars on a long mtb ride, so I feel for you. Fig bars are an excellent substitute because they're loaded with carbs (and I'm addicted to them, so tasty and chewy!)

Hits the nail on the head. Next time you're sitting around for an hour on the couch, try popping three gels (of any variety). If your stomach revolts, or if you gag at the taste then the response probably won't be any better after a couple hours of exercise.

Honey Stingers are great, for those that like the taste of honey. I use them when I have them because the flavors are pretty consistent and they work for me. The rest of the time, I'll carry a couple 5oz flasks of organic honey (diluted with H2O), salt tabs, H2O, and a few fig newtons for substance. Carbs, salt, and water will get you through almost any day ... you just have to find the mix that works for you.

Look at how many calories you will burn on a 112-mile bike: 175-lb male, 18mph avg, 6 hours = 5,000+ calories. You would have to eat 50 Gu's to get that. And you won't get enough K from gatorade and bananas either. Granted, you don't have to eat THAT much, but you have to get enough K on the bike to fuel the upcoming marathon, so yes, you do need K in the thousands. And if you are sick of Gu's now, you will be really sick of them (they will make you sick?) come race day. So get going with 'real' food that will fuel you through the marathon.

I used to bring PB&J on training rides - used then at my first IMWI. And worked fine. I have migrated to simply using Infinit to satisfy all my nutritional needs. This way all I need from the course is water. Minimizing the nutrition plan is nice - I have a feed bottle and that's it - I just drink on schedule and for me Infinite goes down easy all day so no issues there.
As Brittda said - you need to test it out in training and get it all finetuned for your race day execution.

YES can you believe it---actually the temps last year were not bad, think the high was 75 (in 05 it was in the high 90's ) any warmer and no way, but the swim -special needs was not that long of a time with the temps lower in the am, for IMC you drop the spec needs off the morning of the race.

Will be going up to sign up for either IMC or over for CDA this year, not sure which. PROBABLY CDA since have done Canada 2x now and want to try a different one. Also with CDA housing is better (have family in Spokane). All the hotels in Penticton have a 5 night minimum so it makes things harder/more expensive.

For you guys/gals that use infinite:
doesn't it get too sweet/gloppy if you concentrate it??? Is it really better than just throwing gu in a flask? I WOULD like to simplify.

I second the liquid only diet. Even on training rides I stick to sports drinks and gels. I also use clif shot blocks but those are not really solid foods. I get a sick feeling when I eat solid foods (harder to digest) and I tend to stop eating and then bonk/cramp/want to fall on the ground and curl into a ball. With liquids I stay hydrated and get enough calories. depending on the ride length, I mix it so I have one bottle per hour and get everything I need per hour in that bottle.

Mentally I've become turned off to gels, so as a result my digestive tract has fallen in line with my nervous system. They don't work in my anymore. Now I just boil off some potatoes, fry them up quickly in some olive oil, and salt them big time. I get my carbs, fats, and salt. Just wrap them up in some tin foil and your good to go.

I mix it up. I have some gels, clif bloks, banana, PB and Honey on wheat bread, pretzels.
Before I jump on the bike I drink and Ensure too. You have to experiment to see what works for you.

I'm with the OP, I'm really starting to hate what I'm eating. I've been trying new bars from Trader Joe's, new gels from races, and whatever else I can find, but it's just the same stuff. I grabbed the recipe from above and will try to make it this week. I hope it tastes different.

To put things into perspective, I've consumed approximately 191,400 calories worth of gels and bars since January. Holy crap, that's 54.6 pounds!! After I get done with my workout this morning, you can add another 300 calories.

Hammer.. been there... blah... Lara... been there... blah... Luna... aren't those for women?

I think it's just eating the same kind of food over and over that's making me hate it. New bas and gels only hold my attention for a week or so and then it's just another bar or gel.

The problem is I'd need a backpack to carry real food in order to get the kind of calories I take in on a long training day. Bars and gels are compact and have a lot of calories. sigh.

nice tsilcyc!

I love carbopro for just that reason -- I don't want to have to rely on things that taste to get my calories. The carbopro gets me the cals I need without feeling like I'm eating the same stuff over and over - I'm just drinking it, and for some reason I have an easier time with that.

I carry some other snacky foods sometimes, just in case I want them. Or there is always the store at mile 39 that has snickers, gatorade, and water ;)

I made these this past weekend. They are ok... kind of remind me of fig newtons... no surprise considering they contain figs. I'm going to experiment with this recipe.