Energy gels have become an essential part of many runners' kits. Real Sports Photos/ Shutterstock Sebastian Sawe ripped open a carbohydrate gel sachet and slurped it five minutes before the start of the 2026 London Marathon. Sixty minutes later, he inhaled another one before smashing through the two-hour marathon barrier. Sawe might have been the first sub-two-hour marathon runner, but he’s certainly not the first to be powered by an energy gel. It’s estimated that over 70% of marathon runners