Tag: hydration

Keeping up with Hydration

Disclaimer: I received NOW® Sports Effer-Hydrate to review as part of being a BibRave Pro. Learn more about becoming a BibRave Pro (ambassador), and check out BibRave.com to review, find, and write race reviews!

I used to be so good at drinking all the water. Granted I had trouble hydrating properly on the run but not running? Oh I was good- usually clearing around 150 oz of water a day. Then COVID. It’s so much harder to drink all the water wearing a mask all day.

Then there’s running- I can never seem to drink enough when running. Probably because I used to drink way too much when I started out and usually made myself sick. Oops. Now I need something flavorful in order to remind me to drink more. I’m also trying to decrease the amount of Aspartame I consume – I know it’s a lot- as well as have become much lazier in the last year or so. Lazy, as in, mixing powders and trying to get them to dissolve properly in water has started to really irk me. And I’ve tried a lot of brands lately both via BibRave and local stores.

So, how about NOW® Sports Effer-Hydrate? And NOW® Sports Effer-Energy?

Nice convenient tube packaging. I can drop a tube in my purse and have it with me all day- and I am very attached to my purse- so knowing that I can have hydration on hand and a clean purse? Thank you!

The tablets inside are easy to break if you need to drop them in a smaller mouthed bottle. Which coming from someone who has wrapped other tablets in napkins and then smashed them with a stapler to break them is a huge plus. I wasn’t kidding when I said I have been trying multiple hydration options the last few months. These also make a satisfying fizzing noise while they dissolve.

I received the NOW® Sports Effer-Energy in Tropical Punch and the NOW® Sports Effer-Hydrate in Lemon Lime, Mixed Berry and Orange Strawberry. I have run with all of them as well as enjoyed them at work on crazy days- so every day? Flavor wise, my favorites are the Mixed Berry and Tropical Punch. Lemon lime is super light- almost too light and Orange Strawberry didn’t deliver like I hoped. Maybe it will grow on me? But I did like drinking them and actually finished off a bottle of water on a couple runs. We missed out on winter until recently, so it was around 70-80 degrees for all my recent runs.

Now did they give me energy or help my recover faster? I’m on the fence, however I can say that I did not suffer from the post run run headaches like I usually do. I’m on board! Now will they keep me from a headache when I am stupidly running in 100 degree weather? I’ll report back in 4 months.

I’ll be buying more.

Want to try it? Use code NOWSPORTS20 for 20% off your purchase of NOW® Sports products at nowsportsproducts.com**.

*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent disease.

**Offer valid 1/1/21 through 11:59 PM Central Standard Time 3/21/21. Offer valid only on products found at https://www.nowfoods.com/sports-nutrition/sports-nutrition-all-products. Prices are as shown. Some exclusions may apply. Must use coupon code NOWSPORTS20 in the Promotion Code field at checkout. While supplies last at nowfoods.com. This offer does not apply to applicable taxes or shipping and handling. Offer cannot be used on previous purchases. NOW Health Group, Inc has the right to end any promotion at any time.

Still Loving It

Disclaimer: I received Watermelon Gatorade Endurance and Mango Energy Gels to review as part of being a BibRave Pro. Learn more about becoming a BibRave Pro (ambassador), and check out BibRave.com to review find and write race reviews!

The calendar tells me that fall officially starts this weekend but I think it lies. We may not be hitting 100* days at the moment but it is still hot out there.

Yet the heat didn’t make me any less lazier. If I was given the option to run in the morning when it was a little cooler or in the afternoon when I would melt, I usually chose the stupider option. That said, I made it through a summer of stupid, hot running with no hydration issues and no headaches due to running in the heat.

I give credit to my watermelon Gatorade Endurance Formula and Endurance Energy Gels. It’s been a few months, I’m calling it a committed relationship. I am still in love. I don’t know how I ran without it. I now have a tub of the Endurance Formula powder at home and one at work. I tried a little travel size tupperware thing for a while but that just didn’t work for me. Then for awhile I was just carrying the one back and forth. 🤦‍♀️ No worries, just get another canister!

Gatorade

Now- you may be thinking- do you really need an Endurance Formula for a 4 mile run? When it’s 90+ outside, yes I do! I also dilute it- so a little less powder in the scoop and a little more water.👍

I admit that long run fueling is still a work in progress. I am getting better at it- the ease at which the Mango Gels go down helps- but I seriously need to a set a reminder for myself. ⏲ Every run where I actually fuel usually ends on a better note than when I don’t but I struggle with the actual remembering to do it.

I’ve also actually branched out to trying actual mango things which I never had before. I always assumed I disliked mangoes. But now I can’t remember why. So, thanks for broadening my horizons Gatorade!

Do you have a fueling plan in place or do you struggle like I do?

Watermelon? Yes, please!

Fueling and I have a bit of a rocky relationship. I have a tendency to run with just water. Want to know a little secret? I ran Big Sur on zero fuel. I realized a few days before that the pack of gummies I shove in my pack every race day but never touch was actually expired. Oops! I don’t eat breakfast before races either. Part of it is because I am always concerned about my stomach acting up and part of it is that it has never seemed to hinder me.

Yet, that doesn’t mean I wasn’t missing something. So, occasionally I try to step outside my tiny box and try new things.

Enter Gatorade Endurance Formula and Endurance Energy Gels.

Ok, though- in truth- on the rare occasion that I ran with pumped up hydration- it was good ol’ Gatorade- the orange flavor is my jam. Mix a bottle with some water and that would be my “last minute” race prep. The Endurance version was new to me though and the flavor even newer. Just in time for the heat of summer, Gatorade is introducing a tasty Watermelon flavor to the Endurance line.

And tasty it is. I was actually super concerned about the taste, I Love watermelon but hate watermelon “flavored” things. No worries here! I love the taste! It does not taste like it is watermelon flavored, it just tastes like watermelon! I was hard pressed not to drink it all at once. Also, I generally run with luke warm water so I was curious what it would taste like when ice cold. The answer? Even better. I had a migraine while at work recently and I was trying to hydrate well. I had the Gatorade Endurance Formula with me at work so I figured why not? Ice cold Watermelon Gatorade Endurance was kind of amazing.

So what makes Gatorade Endurance different?

I love the taste and it makes me actually want to drink more while running. Which is great as summer has made its presence known and it’s over 95* most days in home town. That’s half my struggle right there- making myself drink the hydration when I know I should.

How about the Gels?

gel desc

I am not a huge fan of gels. I normally can’t choke them down even with water which is why they have never been my fuel of choice. That is so not the case here! In fact on first taste, I wondered if I even managed to taste any it was so subtle and smooth. In fact I had, it was just so easy and the new Mango flavor was tasty, I just couldn’t believe it. I didn’t even need to drink water after it. Who knew??

As for energy- I haven’t run a real long run since San Diego. So I used the gels more as a pre-run boost. Which considering how tired I’ve been lately was probably a good idea. At first I didn’t think it was making any difference, then I noticed I was holding a 10 minute flat pace on 100* runs on my running portions without trying. These days, that’s fast for me but we’ll leave that for another post. Hey now, maybe there’s something to this fuel thing? I am looking forward to trying it on my long runs.

Ok, so some potential downsides-

If you mix the Endurance Formula powder with super cold water it tends to clump. I’ve noticed this with most drink mixes though, it’s probably why I drink mostly barely cold or room temp water.
I wish the scoop was a little smaller for smaller mouthed bottles. I made a little bit of a mess when I forgot my soft flasks and had to use a plastic water bottle one day.
Right now they are both only available to buy online or at a few specialty retailers. Ok- this actually isn’t a drawback for me- I live in tiny town, USA, so would be ordering online anyways but this could be a factor for someone else.

Overall, I was pleasantly surprised by how much I like the new Watermelon flavor from the Gatorade Endurance line and I am going to continue to work on my fueling with the Mango Energy Gels- I have big race goals this fall.

How do you hydrate?

Want to hear more thoughts on the new Gatorade Endurance Formula?

Lindsey – Karen – Lissa – Katy – Jessica – Kevin – Amy – Jenn – Vanessa – Ang

Add the Lime to the Coconut

Disclaimer: I was given Detach Coconut+ to review as part of being a BibRave Pro. Learn more about becoming a BibRave Pro (ambassador), and check out BibRave.com to review find and write race reviews!

I would like to say that my hydration game is strong but if I am being honest it’s been a little lacking lately. That’s not a good thing heading into marathon training. Combine that with my tendency to run my long runs/ races fasted and I was open to suggestions.

However between my already picky taste buds and extremely temperamental stomach, trying new things doesn’t always goes so well. 😯 My concern with Detach did start with the taste- I am not the biggest fan of coconut water. However, this is my year of trying to push my boundaries (that post will go up someday) so I figured why not try it?

The bottles are an adorable, little 12oz size and I was pleasantly surprised by the taste. It’s called Ellie-Ade– named for creator’s wife as he created the drink as a way to ensure that she was properly hydrated throughout her work outs. You can barely taste the coconut flavor and instead it’s a very subtle lemony-lime flavor. More lime, I think. Whatever it is, I like it… and that’s coming from the person who drinks water, coffee and Diet Coke. Kind of bland over here. 😛

Ok, the healthy details-

Beta-alanine commonly found in trace amounts of legumes, seaweed has been shown to improve the muscles energy production at intensity and in some studies improving 800m times by ~10s for 1 time use and ~15s after cumulative use.
Citrulline commonly found in melons is a known vasodilator, improving Nitric Oxide levels in the body. This opens up your blood vessels and improves blood flow.
Theanine – commonly found in many teas especially white and green teas. Theanine is also known as a neurotropic as it impacts feelings of positivity and focus.
All of this with only 60 calories per bottle and NO “fake” sweeteners which leave a nasty after taste.
Last but not least light refreshing citrus flavor that you will love!
Instructions: Best to take 1 bottle 30m before workout and 1 bottle during exercise. Can be mixed with other drinks as well.

Now, I was sick while testing this and my stomach was having one of it’s flare periods -yay me- so I actually only drank it before one run. Everything was making me sick. So instead, I had it post run or in my daily lunch smoothie. That one run went well but then I got nervous when I started to get sick. You know, as I type this I realize I was never sick after drinking it even if I had been sick during the run or before lunch. Ok, maybe I should have written this sooner or paid more attention over the last few weeks. Excuse me, I need to go order another case to test my new theory.

Oh and this may have been my lunch one day when I was sick. #balance

One thing I loved is that even when I felt a headache coming on post long run, a bottle of Detach would knock it out. Thank you very much, Detach. 😊

Detach Coconut+ is available at their website or Amazon.

How do you hydrate?

Do you like coconut water?

For other thoughts on Detach, check out-

Amy— Meridith— Corey—Lindsey

Cross my Heart

Disclaimer: I received a Phone.Flask.Vest from Orange Mud to review as part of being a BibRave Pro. Learn more about becoming a BibRave Pro (ambassador), and check out BibRave.com to review find and write race reviews!

I have a couple of Orange Mud products- the handheld and the Transition towel. I love them both but I’ve really had my eye of their hyrdation/ gear packs. Have you seen them?? So pretty! You know runners love their gear right? Then I saw the Phone.Flask.Vest and was like- wait, what?

I mean logistically how was that going to work? Don’t get me wrong, looked awesome but that mannequin looks noticeably flat chested- I may not be Dolly Parton but I’m also not flat chested. I was confused. At the time, they weren’t any pictures of the pack on women on the site either (there are now). I was intrigued enough to want to try it.

It arrived and it was even smaller than I thought it was going to be. However there were plenty of pockets. On the front side- there was the flask packet, another pocket directly in front of that, a key pocket, and a pocket on the shoulder. The entire back was a pocket complete with an extensive shock cord. The included flask was 450ml. Which if you’re like me, I had to look that up-15oz. 😛

Getting it on was a little tricky- silly me forgot to loosen any of the straps, ha! Once I did that it just a matter of finding the right fit. Which, I am not going to lie- I have to adjust the fit every run. However, the fault for that lies purely on my abnormal upper half- most of the time I’m a Cish cup, however there are times I’m above a D cup. Yeah, it’s fun, but I guess you could say I tested the pack in a variety of ways?😛

Ok- now for the running with it part. As long as I had it tightened properly- I never had any bounce. It only moved around on one run and I think I was just too tired to get it properly situated. Either that I was freakishly small that day. One quirk about the straps is that they tighten towards the back- so to tighten it- you pull it to the back. It was a little awkward at first but then I adjusted. It’s super lightweight and I can barely feel it when it’s on.

A full flask fits perfectly in it’s pocket and it worked great but to be honest I didn’t use it much. There were a few reasons. I kept forgetting it, I was only running a few miles and didn’t need water or I needed more so I carried a handheld too. My phone was also problematic. I have Iphone 7+ and the thing is huge. It does fit in the front pocket with flask in place but it’s a very snug fit. I preferred to run without the flask and put my phone in the flask pocket. Then I kept my pepper spray and chapstick, sometimes and entire body glide in the front pocket. My inhaler went in the shoulder pocket for easy access. The only pocket I had issues with was the key pocket. It’s small- very small. But then my new car key is huge- I was bemoaning that fact while buying the car. I didn’t even have the pack yet. 😛 Instead I keep a little hook on my key and attach it to the shock cord and place it in the pocket on the back.

Not only have I run with the pack every run since I got it, it has so far stood up to my treatment of it. I am hard on gear. I have a tendency to toss things around and I expect them to be able to handle that. For example- when I run after work, I am often parked in odd locations. The only door I open is my driver side door. I won’t open any other doors or the back of the car. I don’t want to dump the sweaty pack on the passenger seat post run ( I need another transition towel!) so I slingshot it from my seat to the back of the car. With all my stuff still in it. I don’t care how it lands as long as it’s on the very back of the car. 😛 So far, this hasn’t hurt it!

So a few things that could make it better-

2 buckles. There is only one buckle on the left side. While I can now get it on and off without taking my hat or glasses off, it would be a lot easier with 2 buckles. Sometimes it’s like taking off a sweaty sports bra. I also have a small head, so this would a very snug fit for those with more of average size head. Hmmm, that sounded odd.

I’ve got a theory (~~it could be bunnys~~) While I have plenty of leftover space on the straps, I wonder about the sizing. I measured multiple times and ordered a S/M because according to the site that’s what I needed. However I’m kind of wondering if the L/XL would have made the pack itself fit even better due to my ummm, upper half. It makes me wonder if the sizing for woman should be more like S/M for those who wear A/B and L/XL for C and higher. But again that’s just a theory and not one that I could test out.

Want to your own or anything at Orange Mud? Use “BRPPFV” for 10% off.

Want to read more thoughts on the pack?

Angie – Bradley – Casey – James– Heather – Mai

Ever used a pack like this?

What do think?

Anyone catch that reference?