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

EnduroPacks - First Impressions

As some of you know, I was selected to be a one month trial participant for EnduroPacks, which is a start up nutrition company for endurance athletes, focused on recovery.  That's a challenge for a lot of us, especially me, so when I saw they were asking for Brand Ambassadors, I jumped at the chance.  They are still accepting applications, so if any of my followers....or followers of my followers want to apply, you can go to their website and check them out and apply.

ENDUROPACKS WEBSITE

 



When I arrived home on Friday, there was a nice little treat waiting for me.....my Enduropacks shipment.  I opened it immediately waiting to see the goodness that a little white box held for me.  This was perfect timing as I had my longest run since IMTX on the books for Saturday.  The box was packed perfectly and the only glass bottle in there was the liquidmulti but it was wrapped in bubble wrap securely.  The first thing I did was, obviously, pop all of the bubbles.  That's a hard and fast rule.....if there is bubble wrap, it must be popped.

Inside the box was a nice, soft cotton T-shirt, Liquidmulti, electrolyte spray, amino patch, glutamine caps, and an instruction card.

see...no bubble wrap

As I was excited to get started, I put on the t-shirt and ran around the house for about 30 seconds, under the watchful eye of a 7 year old and a cat.  Both were confused, but I didn't care.

I put all of the items on my vanity and waited, somewhat impatiently, for 4:30am so I could get started.

Fast forward to 4:30am.....it go time.

First thing that I took was the Liquidmulti.  The taste wasn't horrible, but it wasn't the best either.  It does have a chalky taste to it, reminiscent of the Flintstone chewable vitamins that we all took as kids.  The instruction card said to take with food, but the only thing I eat, pre-run, is a Gu.  I was worried that I would "taste it" via burps once the Liquidmulti made it's way down, but I did not experience any negative side effects from it.

I got my water bottle and pumped 5 "shots" of the electrolyte spray and set off.  Around mile 2, I took my first drink and was surprised, for two reasons.  One....I didn't think that there would be a taste to the spray and Two....that it wasn't bad at all.  It has a citrusy flavor to it, similar to Nuun or Gu Brew.  It's not overpowering and it's pleasant.

After the run, I was instructed to put an amino patch on.  This is were I had an issue....the instruction card does not specify where to put it.  As it's a transdermal patch, I figured anywhere was as good as any so I put it on my stomach, close to my belly button.  Then, I went on the website and it recommended that it be placed on the inner-arm or the wrist.  Well, poop.  So I took it off and placed it on my wrist.  This was the first lesson in "what not to do".  Once the patch is on, it doesn't want to go back on anywhere else.  I placed it on my wrist, but within a few minutes it was starting to peel off.  I got another patch and stuck it on my wrist and it stayed there for a good 8 hours.  We went to a festival around 4pm and I took it off because it was starting to fold/crease a bit.  It was still on, but I figured 8 hours was good enough.

 

Patch size

 

 

 

Placement of Patch....

 

That night, I took the Glutamine caps about an hour and a half before bed, while I was finishing up the late football games.  I was worried, again, about the "tasting" of the caps so I took it early and if I was feeling it, then I'd be able to drink some milk and/or have a light snack.  The caps are just a little bigger than an Advil Gelcap and very easy to swallow.  I took both at the same time with a small glass of water.  I didn't feel any side effects from it.

The next morning....I woke up...and felt 100%....like I could have gone for another long run.  I had scheduled off on Sunday (and I'm a rule/plan follower) so I only took the Liquidmulti and I took the Glutamine caps at night. 

My first overall impression is a good one.  I'd give it a solid "B".  I would have given it an "A-" for first impressions had the instruction card been a little more clear on the patch placement.  After a week (next Monday), I'll give another review on how the first week with the product went and share my thoughts on that.

I'm super excited to get further into the trial and see this through an entire month (and hopefully more) while I wind down the 13.1 training and ramp up to 26.2 this winter.