Energy Product Trial #3 - Honey Stinger Waffle

Date:  8/18/12
Start Time:  5:50 AM 
Start Temperature:  56 degrees F 
Sleep beforehand: ~ 7 hours 
Food beforehand: half english muffin with honey 
Drink beforehand: cup of coffee 

End Time:  7:45 AM 
End Temp: 62 degrees F 
Total Distance: 12.1 miles 
Average Pace: 9:06 min/mile

Product Stats:  
Serving Size: 1 ounce (entire package) 
Calories:  160 
Good Stuff:  
 - Sodium: 55mg 
 - Carbs: 21g 
 - Fiber: 1g 
 - Sugars: 14g 

The rundown:  

Okay, confession time ... I'm doing this post a week after the run, so it's not exactly fresh in my mind.  I DO remember that it was my longest "long" run ever, and I remember quite a bit about the product.  I don't remember much about what I saw, encountered, or other extenuating factors, but I remember that the weather was pretty much ideal.  

On the product: 

First, as you can see by the picture, the Honey Zinger is a very strange shape.  It's package is a flat, 3x3 inch bag with a circular wafer inside.  I had to fold the package in half TWICE to make it fit into my running shorts, and even then the corners of the package poked me painfully in the leg!  I had to cut the corners off the package with a pair of scissors just to spare my legs.  Also, because of the number of times I had to fold it, when I opened the package the "waffle" was broken into several pieces.  I actually dropped a small piece of it as I tried to open the package.  

The "waffle" was chewy and tasted like honey, like the package suggests.  It was sort of dry, which was kind of hard to stomach mid-run with no water stations (which wouldn't be a problem during races).  I was skeptical at first on the possible usefulness of the product, since it has less sodium than many of the other products and no vitamins or potassium.  However, I found that the waffle filled me up pleasantly without feeling like a rock in my stomach.  And, actually, I discovered that the energy from the Honey Stinger stuck around for almost my entire run, which might be chocked up to the additional calories it provides.  

Overall Rating:  7.5/10 

I wanted to rate it higher, simply because I was impressed that the energy delivery.  But the dagger-like package, the fact that I actually had to modify it to carry it with me (and it was still awkwardly crammed into my pocket) knocked it down a few notices.  This is one I definitely will try again, and I'll try to figure out a more convenient way to carry it.  

The Skinny: 

PROS: 
 - Pretty good taste 
 - Additional calories
 - Energy that really delivers 

CONS: 
 - Most awkward package of any trial so far 
 - Less sodium, no potassium 
 - I dropped part of it while running because I had to break it to fit it into my pocket :( 

Final analysis:  Definitely going to try this again.  The energy was too good to pass up.  

Energy Product Trial #2: Gatorade GSeries Energy Chews

Date:  8/5/12
Start Time:  6:18 AM
Start Temperature: 78 degrees F (very muggy)
Sleep beforehand: ~ 7 hours
Food beforehand: half english muffin with honey
Drink beforehand: 1 cup of coffee

End Time:  8:03 AM
End Temperature: 80 degrees F
Total Distance: 10.75 miles
Average Pace: 10:25 min/mile

Product Stats:
Serving Size: 1 ounce (the entire package)
Calories: 100
Good Stuff:
 - 85 mg sodium
 - 30 mg potassium
 - 24g carbs
 - 16g sugars
 - Niacin: 20% DV
 - Vitamin B6: 20 % DV
 - Pantothenic Acid: 20% DV (no idea what this is, but it was listed on the package so I decided to add it here)

The rundown:

   Okay, to get one thing straight: this was a TERRIBLE run.  It started pouring the rain after about mile 3, and I had to take shelter at least three times just to make sure my phone/gps didn't drown.  That alone killed my time and my pace.  Also, I probably did my long run too soon after my shin pain (see two entries ago).

   Onto the product.

   Much like the Shot Bloks, the package is a little difficult to carry because all six chews are arranged linearly (honestly, who thought of this?).  But, since the whole package is half the size of the Shot Bloks package, it's a little easier to carry.  The Cool Blue flavor tasted like my favorite fruit snacks as a kid, but these were significantly more salty than the Shot Bloks (makes sense: more sodium per serving).  Much like the Shot Bloks, the 1 ounce size didn't bounce around in my stomach.
   
Possible problems:
   As previously mentioned, awkward package makes carrying them in running shorts tough unless they're unwrapped first.  That, and the plastic package inside the cardboard box almost took an act of congress to get into.  I actually had to stop running to rip into it.
   Also, the back of the package states, "Eat 6 chews 15 minutes prior to exercise or competition".  Which, of course, I didn't.

Possible extenuating factors to the trial:
 - I thought the addition of vitamins would prevent soreness during the run (see my entry on Clif Shot Bloks), but the GSeries still didn't hold off the shin and arch pain.
 - The shin and arch pain could be attributed to the weekend's workout.
 - Weather aside, I still found myself walking for a few minutes from fatigue, and I can't blame it all on the humidity.

Overall Rating:  5/10

  Only after my run was finished did I read that the GSeries were supposed to be eaten before racing instead of during.  They left me limp toward the end of my run, but that might not have been the case if I had eaten them before the run (an absorption time of nearly an hour).  I might try them again and eat them as directed, but not for a while.  After all, this experiment is to find a MID-RACE energy product, not one for PRE-RACE.

The Skinny:

PROS:
 -  small serving size
 - vitamins and extra sodium
 - It's blue.  What's not to love?

CONS:
 - Meant for pre-run (poor mid-run energy delivery)
 - Long, awkward package; hard to break into mid-run

Final Analysis: They might be worth another look later, once I find a mid-run energy product for me.  For now, however, I'm putting the GSeries Energy Chews on the shelf.
 

Shin Spints: Active.com's advice.

This is the video I used to determine that my shin spints are more muscle-related than bone-related (my right foot tends to underpronate; more on pronation in a later post!) .

Fartleks and Shin Splints (Or: Graham Vs. the Comfy Bed)

Visiting my parents for a few days means that my regular training schedule has hit a snag.  My usual running route is hundreds of miles away, and no GPS devices work here because they live in a small, isolated town (thanks for nothing AT&T).

My first morning here, I actually set my alarm and tried to wake up for an early run, but something about sleeping in my childhood bedroom made me press the snooze button until the optimal running time had come and gone.  After one day of being lazy, though, I pulled myself out of bed this morning and drove to the local high school, and to their track.

Which brings me to the first word of the day:  FARTLEKS!

Fartleks (Swedish for 'speed play') involves altering your speed in regular intervals to strengthen muscles and gradually get your body used to moving at faster speeds.  I've been doing 3-minute interval fartleks to gradually increase my speed, trying to hit new PRs.  Plus, It gives me something to do between long runs.

Since my GPS wasn't working, I allowed my fartlek intervals to be two trips around the track: two at what I considered a 'moderate' pace, and two at what I considered a 'fast' pace.  After each interval I moved to the next outer ring on the track, making each interval a little longer than the previous.

And now my right shin hurts.  Great.  Which bring me to the second word of the day:  SHIN SPLINTS!

So it's time to stretch, maybe add a little ice, and let it rest for a day so I can try to be up for my long run on Sunday morning.  See the video above this post about preventing and treating shin splints (thanks Active.com for the video!), and please feel free to contribute your own experience with fartleks, shin splints, and advice on either!  I'm always looking for new tricks and remedies!

Energy Product Trial #1: Clif Shot Bloks (a second look)

Date: 7/29/12
Start time:  5:55 AM (analysis:  perfect time!)
Start temperature:  68 degrees F (much cooler than last time) 
Sleep beforehand: > 6 hours
Food beforehand: half english muffin with honey
Water beforehand:  cup of coffee (analysis:  PERFECT!) 

Ending time: 7:45 AM
End temperature:  76 degrees F
Total Distance:  10.82
Average pace: 10:35 min/mile


Wow, what a difference a few alterations can make!  I allowed myself an earlier start, a little more food, and, what I think was the real game-changer, a cup of coffee before starting my run.  In doing so I smashed my normal "long run" distance by nearly three miles and did it at a better pace, to boot. These will definitely be the conditions I try to replicate on my future long runs, in my attempts to test the energy products. 


The three Shot Bloks I had left from the last trial sustained me pretty well.  I didn't feel weak or out of energy, but I still felt the soreness in my arches and knees, which may be attributed to the distance, or maybe to the Bloks' lack of vitamin content.  As I mentioned in the previous Shot Blok post, I'm going to experiment with vitamin-rich products and see if it makes a difference.  


I am, however, confident enough in my trials to raise the Shot Bloks' overall rating to a 7/10.  The three remaining pieces fit much easier into the pocket of my shorts, they still taste great, and their energy delivery was at least adequate for such a small serving size. 


More products soon to be reviewed! If you have a suggestion as to which products you'd like me to try, please feel free to leave a comment in any of my blog posts, or drop me an email at grahampatricksmith@gmail.com  

Energy Product Trial #1: Clif Shot Bloks

Date: 7/26/12
Start time:  6:45 AM (analysis:  too late!)
Start temperature:  77 degrees F
Sleep beforehand: > 6 hours
Food beforehand: handful of Honey Nut Cheerios
Water beforehand:  small mouthful (analysis: not enough)

Ending time: 8:25 AM
End temperature:  84 degrees F
Total Distance:  8.76 miles
Average pace: 10:50 min/mile

Product stats:
Service Size:  1 ounce/ 3 bloks (half the package)
Calories: 100
Good stuff:
 - 70mg sodium
 - 20mg potassium
 - 24g carbs
 - 12g sugars
Other bonuses:
 - package advertises 95% organic ingredients

The rundown:

These things taste AMAZING.  I bought is the Cran-Raz flavor, and they're as good as the fruit snacks I used to pack in my lunch box as a kid. I also appreciated that the serving size was only 3 blocks, which meant that, were I on a longer run, I wouldn't have to take additional items with me; I'd only need to finish the package.  It also didn't feel like a lead weight bouncing around in my stomach, since the serving was only 1 ounce.

Possible problems:  the long, awkward package is tough to carry.  I actually had to change shorts this morning, finding the one pair I own with regular pockets to carry them.  Also, the package states, "Always follow consumption with water", which would't be a problem during a race with regular water stations, but, from a runner who doesn't own a Fuel Belt, this could be problematic on casual long runs (and may account for its poor energy rating below).

Possible extenuating factors to the trial: 

 - I exercised hard the day before (trail running and lifting weight). 

 - I slept in (6:45 is too late to start a run in the hottest summer Lexington, KY has had in decades!) 

- Possibly didn't have enough water the night before (cotton-mouthed during the last 3 miles).  

(Current) Overall Rating:  6/10

     The energy delivered by the Shot Bloks was less than I would have liked, and I experienced some knee and arch pain that I think the addition of some vitamins in the formula might have prevented (this isn't a scientific analysis, only speculation.  I intend on experimenting with vitamin-rich fuels in the future, and if I find that this isn't the case, Shot Bloks' rating may change).  As I mentioned earlier, the package instructs to take water with the blocks, so I will be repeating the experiment with water (especially since I still have half the package).


The Skinny:

PROS:
 - Small serving size (one package contains two servings)
 - Great taste
 - Organic ingredients

CONS:
 - Awkward packaging
 - No listed vitamin content
- Must take with water for recommended best results


Final Analysis: I'm going to give them another try.  The heat of the morning and my inability to take water with the blocks might have contributed more than I think.  Stay tuned for the update!  

Energy products independent study: and overview.

As I mentioned in the first post, one of the reasons I created this blog was so I could have somewhere to post my results from testing several mid-run energy products.  Before I begin, I'd like to make some things clear.

1.) Purpose:  I'm training for my first full marathon in December, and I'm still trying to trail myself to take in food and water while running (since there's no way I'd be able to make it the whole 26.2 without refueling). So I'm trying to find which energy product works best for me.  Your results may vary.

2.) I know that no experiment can be conducted in a vacuum, but I'm going to do my best to recreate similar conditions with every long run (which tend to be between 8.5 and 9.25 miles, but will hopefully change as I train) so I can more accurately determine the effectiveness of the product I've eaten.

3.)  See #2 for the reasons why I record time, temperature, food, sleep, weather, etc.

4.) All reviews are subject to change after repeated trials.  It's usually hard to get a feel for how a product is going to affect one's body after only one try, so stay tuned!

4.)  Feel free to comment on any post!  If you've experienced different results or have training tips, do not hesitate to share them.  I'm not an expert runner by any means, and am always looking for new information.

Welcome to Runner Confidential!

I'm Graham Smith, journeyman runner, located in Lexington, KY.  I created this blog to log my runs, discuss musings on running, and to post reviews and comparisons of various running products.   

I was actually inspired to start this blog when I came up dry on an internet search for reviews and comparisons of mid-run energy products. I decided that, if no one could tell me what I wanted to know, I was just going to have to find out for myself.  And, of course, I will post results and reviews for all the world.