EnduroPacks - 30 Day Review

If you recall from my post about 30 days ago, I was selected to be a Brand Ambassador for EnduroPacks, which is a new sports nutrition company for endurance athletes....which focuses on recovery.

I have to say that as a previous 'non-believer' in any supplements other than my daily multi and Gu/Calories on my runs and rides, EnduroPacks made me a believer.

Haven gotten the first shipment in around 20 days out from my half marathon....which was horrible and a race that I would LOVE to forget....I started taking the supplements as directed.  After the first week of taking them, I had a long run of 9 miles and my family and I went to the State Fair of Texas for a day of walking.  I figured I walked around 4 miles that day.  The next morning, I had a slight case of "heavy legs" but I had no noticeable soreness.  None, zip, zilch.  Pre-EnduroPacks I know that I would have had some soreness related to a 13 mile day but had none.

Post "horrible race" (as we'll now refer to it, going forward) I was not sore either....and actually began looking for a redemption race the next day.  The morning after a bad race or a race where it didn't come together, you normally wake up sore, wallow in your pity, and never want to see your shoes again.  While I did throw a pity party, I did so without the lactic acid funny walk.  (haha).  No soreness, no tenderness, nothing.  I was amazed and had actually told my wife that I had planned on skipping a neighbors party...but decided to go because I was refreshed.

I continued taking the supplements and using the electrolyte spray in bottles of water....sometimes on my off days just trying to get "topped off" for the next days activities....and have gotten to the end of the pack and can't wait for the next shipment to arrive.

While I still haven't picked a redemption race yet.....due to external factors....I am glad to know that I have supplements to get me to the level that I need to be.


Goal for 2013 'redemption race'......Sub-2 hour 13.1

Dipping in the mustard and can't Ketchup

So it's been a few weeks, huh?

Lets recap....

Breaking Bad ended - WOW!!!!
My Daughter turned 1 - Double WOW!!!
I went fishing in Idaho for 4 days - Boom!
I was picked to be a brand ambassador for EnduroPacks - Boo-Yah!
I ran the worst 13.1 that I ever have....ever.... - Major SUCK.

Breaking Bad Finale

I'll leave it at WOW....just in case any of my readers aren't caught up or want to watch the series

Reese Turns 1

We had her birthday party on 10/6 when we had everyone in town for our annual State Fair of Texas gathering.  Reese had such a blast.  It was great to have loving family in town and neighbors come over to hang and celebrate her birthday.  She was the most hugged and loved on person ever.

Fishing the Snake and Salmon River

I could dedicate 3 posts to this alone....but the words and the pics wouldn't do it justice.  I was asked by my boss to go on a 4 day fishing trip (paid for by a vendor) to Lewiston, ID where we ate, drank, and fished.  The scenery was spectacular, the accommodations were great, and the fishing was something that I had never experienced on that level.  8 - 18 lb fish fighting and tugging, reeling and fighting taking over 10 minutes from setting the hook to getting it into the boat.  I caught several fish (Steelhead Trout and some salmon). 

 

Worst. Race. Ever.

So....anything you read here is partly an excuse but partly justification (make sense)......

I had been pretty spastic in my training the three weeks leading up to the race.  And the last week was the fishing trip so I missed some volume runs and had a little too much fun eating and drinking as well....and lack of sleep too.

Race morning it was 75 degrees with 90% humidity and it stayed around that for the race.  After about the first 3 miles, I knew it wasn't going to be fun anymore.  I started fading and walking....and walking more....then around mile 11, it was cramps.  I rarely get cramps, but wow....they suck.  I finished in 2:41 (which was 30 minutes SLOWER than my slowest time.  I have a new PR in the "what's your worst race" category).  The course was pretty hilly too, which I don't train much on.  If I go right out of my neighborhood, I get hills....if I go left, it's pretty flat.  I normally go left.  Guess I should go right more.

The race itself was great.  Average Joe Racing puts on a hell of a race.  Great support, great volunteers, lots of schwag, lots of information leading up to the race....and at a very cheap price.  If you're in the Dallas area and looking for a well run race....check them out.

My splits were:

1 - 10:03
2 - 10:33
3 - 10:34
4 - 11:07
5 - 11:49
6 - 12:55
7 - 12:08
8 - 12:54
9 - 13:29
10 - 14:29
11 - 13:50
12 - 13:55
13 - 12:40

Uggh....just typing those out made me vomit a bit in my mouth.  I need a redemption race and one that doesn't conflict with major holidays, birthdays, fishing trips and anything else.  HAHA.