As my miles have increased during my training program, I needed to find mid-run fuel. Running 14 miles is pretty challenging for most of us, and our bodies need calories to burn so we can complete the run.
Its not easy to eat and run at the same time. Its learned. Small bites. Something that is easy on the stomach. But it has to be something that can sustain you.
I REALLY don't like energy gels. Too sweet. I just can't swallow them. Shot Blocks are too soft. Honey Stingers are okay, but a few of those only sustain me for 2 miles at a time. At least they are organic, so they have that going for them.
But my bigger issue with food for runners is that its not real food. I want the good stuff. I'm running to make my body healthy, but feeding it lab-created "ingredients" with 13 syllables is not helping my mission of caring for and rewarding the body I have.
Earlier this spring, when I was preparing for my marathon clinic I bumped into Vega Sport. A socially responsible, environmentally and animal-friendly company from Canada. This company creates foods for athletes that are vegan, gluten-free and free of junk.
They got my attention when I first saw the bars at the food co-op in Stillwater. I ordered their trial pack and was excited to get a bunch of different stuff. Some of it I liked, some of it I didn't.
My favorite and probably the most effective product from that trial pack was the endurance bars. They are part of their "Sustain" line of products. Vega Sport products have 3 parts "Prepare" "Sustain" and "Recover". I've tried them all, but I will talk about the Endurance bars here since they are the ones I rely on the most.
This product bar far has been the most effective fuel I've tried on my long runs. Each bar basically gives me about 8 miles of running fuel. I predict I will need to carry 3 of these on my marathon to get me through. The chocolate ones do get a little soft and melty when they are warm, but they are not gooey and unmanageable to eat out of the wrapper. I've found these easy for my stomach to tolerate while running. I've never felt like puking after eating one. Even after eating these all summer on long runs I still get a little bit of weird sensation in my tummy when I first swallow a bite, but it goes away fast.
I don't feel an immediate spike or burst in energy when eating these, but more of a sustained energy release. Which for me is great. I don't want to pop sugar to keep my energy up. I want my body to process its food like it should and convert it to energy over the long haul. I feel better during my runs and I don't feel hungry.
Find these bars at Whole Foods, local food co-ops or health food grocers. I buy them by the case from amazon.com.
That's so funny. I tried a vega sport protein powder and about to order it a second time. Like you said, I didn't notice anything big, but if I drink it after body pump or body combat I feel my recover goes a lot better.
ReplyDeleteI too notice my recoveries are a lot easier with the vega products. I didn't mention that, but I've been using the recovery bars and the protein powders as well. I think their product lines are very well thought out and effective.
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