Simple fuel. Built for endurance.

Rush the Gap Performance Sports Nutrition was created with a simple idea: endurance fuelling shouldn't have to be complicated or expensive.

Our carbohydrate and electrolyte drink mix is designed around the fundamental nutritional requirements of prolonged endurance exercise: carbohydrate for energy and electrolytes, particularly sodium, to complement your fluid intake. We keep the formula deliberately simple, using a carefully selected combination of maltodextrin, fructose and electrolytes rather than filling the product with unnecessary ingredients.

Each pouch is easy to carry, easy to measure and easy to use. Simply, fill your bottle up to halfway with water. Add the contents of one pouch and then top up with water and add your favourite squash to flavour (if you wish) and shake to dissolve. Whether you're heading out for a long training ride, lining up for a race or preparing for an ultra-endurance event, our aim is to make fuelling straightforward.

Each nutrient (Maltodextrin, Fructose and electrolytes) are weighed out individually direct into the packet to ensure that you get exactly the right proportions. This is how I've mixed my own carbohydrates for several years. We decided to continue this way for my products - Yes, it takes more time, as opposed to mixing large batches, but this way I know customers receive the optimum ratio. 

Why carbohydrate?

Carbohydrate is an important fuel source for endurance exercise, particularly as exercise intensity and duration increase. During prolonged exercise, carbohydrate can be supplied from food and drink and used as an energy substrate by working muscles.

This is why carbohydrate sits at the centre of our formula.

Rather than trying to make an unnecessarily complicated sports drink, we have focused on providing a substantial amount of carbohydrate in every pouch. Our two pouch sizes provide 80 g or 120 g of carbohydrate, allowing athletes to choose a serving size that fits their training or racing requirements.

Maltodextrin

Maltodextrin is a carbohydrate made up of glucose units. Maltodextrin provides carbohydrate in a relatively compact powder, making it practical for producing a concentrated source of carbohydrate that can be mixed into a bidon.

We chose maltodextrin because it works well alongside fructose as part of a multiple-carbohydrate formulation, allowing us to build a high-carbohydrate drink around two complementary carbohydrate sources.

Fructose

Fructose is the second carbohydrate source in our formula.

The reason for combining fructose with maltodextrin is related to how different carbohydrates are handled in the digestive system. Glucose-derived carbohydrate and fructose use different intestinal transport mechanisms. Using multiple carbohydrate sources can therefore allow carbohydrate to be absorbed through more than one transport pathway during prolonged exercise.

This is particularly relevant when athletes are consuming larger amounts of carbohydrate during endurance events.

Every Single Pouch is Precisely Portioned. 

We don't just mix it all together and hope for the best.

Every Rush The Gap pouch is individually weighed and filled by hand, with the maltodextrin and fructose portioned separately to achieve our 1:0.8 maltodextrin-to-fructose ratio in every packet.

And we don't stop there.

Each individual pouch also receives 2.8g of electrolytes, individually measured alongside the carbohydrate ingredients.

Why does that matter?

When carbohydrate powders and electrolytes are combined into one large batch, the ingredients can distribute unevenly during handling. That means the exact composition of an individual pouch may vary from one packet to the next.

Because your fuel shouldn't be left to chance.

When you're racing, training or pushing for a new best, consistency matters. You should know that the fuel you're taking on board is made to the same specification every time.

Rush The Gap — Fuel your next move.

 

Why a 1:0.8 ratio?

Our carbohydrate formula uses a 1:0.8 ratio of maltodextrin to fructose.

This means that for every 1 part of maltodextrin carbohydrate, we use 0.8 parts of fructose carbohydrate.

We chose this ratio because it provides a substantial contribution from both carbohydrate sources rather than relying exclusively on one type. Maltodextrin supplies glucose-derived carbohydrate, while fructose provides a second carbohydrate source that uses a different intestinal transport pathway.

The aim isn't to suggest that one ratio is perfect for every athlete. Individual carbohydrate tolerance, exercise intensity, duration and total carbohydrate intake all differ. Instead, 1:0.8 is the formulation we have chosen to provide a practical multiple-carbohydrate drink for endurance fuelling.

It also gives athletes a straightforward way of understanding what is in the product: a high-carbohydrate formula built around two complementary carbohydrate sources.

Electrolytes

Alongside carbohydrate, our formula contains an electrolyte blend providing sodium, potassium, calcium and magnesium.

Of these, sodium is particularly relevant to endurance athletes because sodium is lost in sweat and is involved in fluid and electrolyte balance.

Each pouch contains approximately:

1,034 mg sodium
306 mg potassium
184 mg calcium
30 mg magnesium

The electrolyte component is included to complement an athlete's overall hydration strategy. Individual sweat rates and electrolyte losses vary considerably, so there is no single amount of fluid or sodium that is appropriate for every athlete or every event.

For this reason, our product is intended to be used as one part of an athlete's overall fueling and hydration plan.

Due to the sodium content, there is a recommended daily intake. Do not exceed 2 pouches per day, unless undertaking prolonged endurance exercise which may require additional carbohydrates and electrolytes. Please note, this would be at the individual athletes’ discretion dependent on the activity. 

 

Why no unnecessary extras?

We believe sports nutrition should be understandable.

Our formula focuses on the things an endurance athlete can actually use during prolonged exercise: carbohydrate and electrolytes.

There is no need to make a carbohydrate drink complicated simply for the sake of adding more ingredients. By keeping the formula focused, we can concentrate on ingredient quality, accurate portioning and consistent production.

High quality without the high price

Sports nutrition can become a significant expense when you're training and racing week after week.

A cyclist completing several long rides every week can go through a considerable amount of carbohydrate, and buying individual sports-nutrition products at premium prices quickly adds up.

Rush the Gap was created to offer another option.

We have focused on using established food-grade ingredients and a straightforward formulation while keeping unnecessary costs out of the product. That allows us to offer a high-carbohydrate electrolyte drink at a more accessible price, without simply cutting corners on the ingredients that matter.

Easy to take on the bike

Fuelling shouldn't interrupt your ride.

Simply fill your bottle up to halfway with water. Add the contents of one pouch and then top up with water and add your favourite squash to flavour and shake to dissolve.

That means your carbohydrate and electrolytes are already portioned before you leave home, making it easy to keep track of what you have consumed during training or racing.

For longer events, multiple pouches can be carried and mixed as required, alongside other sources of carbohydrate such as gels, bars or solid food.

How should you fuel?

There is no single fuelling strategy that works for every athlete. The amount of carbohydrate required depends on the duration and intensity of the event, the athlete's experience with carbohydrate intake, and how much carbohydrate is being consumed from other foods and drinks.

The following is a starting framework rather than a prescription.

Around 30–60 minutes

For a short event, intra-event carbohydrate requirements are generally much lower than for a long endurance event.

For a hard event lasting around 30–60 minutes, consider taking carbohydrate before the start, particularly if the event is intense or you have not eaten recently.

A small amount of carbohydrate during the event may be useful for some athletes, but a full pouch is unlikely to be necessary simply because the event is short.

Focus: Pre-event fuelling.

60–90 minutes

As duration increases, carbohydrate during the event becomes more relevant.

A practical approach is to have carbohydrates pre-event and then introduce further carbohydrates during the event, according to individual requirements and tolerance.

Focus: Pre-event carbohydrate + intra-event fuelling as required.

90 minutes–3 hours

For longer endurance sessions and races, carbohydrate intake during the event becomes increasingly important.

A useful starting point for many new endurance athletes is approximately 40–60 g carbohydrate per hour, with more well trained athletes potentially working towards higher amounts.

An 80 g pouch can therefore be incorporated into a multi-hour fuelling plan, alongside water and other carbohydrate sources.

For example, an athlete targeting 60 g carbohydrate per hour could spread an 80 g pouch across approximately 80 minutes, while obtaining additional carbohydrate from food or other drinks as required.

Focus: Consistent carbohydrate intake throughout the event.

3–6 hours

For long cycling events, sportive rides, road races and endurance competitions, carbohydrate requirements can become substantial.

Many athletes will benefit from planning their carbohydrate intake before the start and throughout the event, rather than waiting until they feel that they need fuel.

A starting target of approximately 60–90 g carbohydrate per hour can be appropriate for athletes who have trained their gastrointestinal system to tolerate higher carbohydrate intakes.

Our 80 g and 120 g pouches allow athletes to build their fuelling plan around a known quantity of carbohydrate.

For example, a 120 g pouch contains enough carbohydrate to provide 60 g per hour for two hours, before taking into account carbohydrate from any additional food or drinks.

Focus: Planned, consistent intra-event carbohydrate intake.

6+ hours and ultra-endurance

Ultra-endurance events require a more comprehensive strategy.

For very long events, athletes need to consider carbohydrate, fluids, sodium, food variety and individual gastrointestinal tolerance rather than relying on a single product.

Some experienced endurance athletes may work towards carbohydrate intakes of 90 g per hour or more, but this should be practised progressively during training rather than attempted for the first time during competition.

Our 120 g pouch can be useful as one component of this strategy. It can be combined with water and solid foods to create a fuelling plan appropriate for the event.

For ultra-endurance events, variety can also be useful. The aim is not necessarily to obtain every gram of carbohydrate from a single drink. Foods such as bananas, rice-based foods, bars and other carbohydrate sources can all form part of an individual's plan.

Focus: Planned pre-event fuelling + consistent intra-event carbohydrate + fluids + electrolytes + suitable solid food.

Practise Your Fuelling

The best fuelling strategy is the one you have practised.

Don't wait until race day to discover how much carbohydrate your stomach can tolerate.

Use training rides to experiment with:

• How much carbohydrate you consume per hour
• How frequently you drink
• How concentrated you prefer your drink
• How much additional food you need
• How much sodium and fluid you require
• Which combination of drinks and solid foods works best for you

As your training progresses, you can gradually develop a strategy that suits your own body, event and conditions.

Know your fuel. Know your plan. Rush the Gap.