Of Honey Stingers and Powerade

I have felt so awful this weekend. I mentioned on Friday that I did not feel well, and it seems to have only gotten worse. Yesterday I was scheduled to do 12.5 miles. I couldn't do it. I tried, but I just couldn't. I did manage to get in about 6 miles, so at least that is good. I knew that had I felt normal, I would have completed it without a problem. So it was frustrating to not be able to do what I needed. But my body was shaking and my sweat felt cold. I did, however, test out a few new-to-me products.

In one of the many discussions we've been having on the Wine and Dine Half Thread, the topic of how we fuel ourselves during a run came up. This was particularly interesting to me. Since I have never done a half marathon before, the fuel is something I needed to know. The idea of gels does not appeal to me in the slightest. I considered plain old sugar cubes, but unbelievably could not find them in the local stores.  I did like how glucose tablets worked. Then someone brought up Honey Stinger. So did someone else. And another person did also. Before I knew it, there were several recommendations for them. After asking about what people suggested in specific after seeing there are several option options, I finally went to the sports store to buy a couple packages to test it out.

Let me tell you, finding these things was no easy feat. They were only available in the checkout lane, and only in one of the several the store has. So I was combing through each lane until I finally found them. I do have to express my disappointment that I have to purchase them individually. That worked for the one trip since I was only going to test them, but I can imagine the frustration over not just being able to buy a box or case if you swear by these things. Fortunately, the official website does sell them that way. I picked up a waffle and a couple packages of fruit chews and was on my way.

The first Stinger I tried was the waffle. It was recommended to me as something to have before my run. While I know there are people who eat it during a run (or something else), it just seemed more like a mess to deal with so I was glad for the recommendation. There are a few flavor options, and I chose honey. The flavor itself was ok, but the consistency was...weird. I really don't know how to explain it. It wasn't terrible, but it wasn't my favorite either. And it was kind "messy" as I had predicted. It is not something I believe I will stick with. I think I would rather have a banana before heading out than this...I am just not sold on it. But that is why I test things!

Honey Stinger Organic Energy Chews - Fruit Smoothie

Next up on the test list were the energy "fruit" chews. The look and feel of them are what you'd expect with a gummy bear. There aren't many in a single package; I believe I counted 11. I took them out with me on my run. Normally I would do my blood sugar boost every couple of miles. Yesterday I decided on doing it only every mile. I needed something to push myself for, needed something to keep me going. While the look and feel of these reminds me of a gummy bear, the consistency does not. A gummy bear is chewy...you just keep on chewing for it to actually be able to break down. These are not like that. You bite down and they already break apart. I like that. And I really like the flavor. That, plus no stomach issues from them...I think I am sold. But, I will also be carrying glucose tablets to mix it up so I don't mentally get bored with only one option during the race.

As far as hydration and rehydration, I used water when I first began running. Water is good for you. I know this. I drink a lot of it throughout the day. But my word does it become boring when I run. So I switched to Gatorade. I love Gatorade. And it helped me keep fueled during runs, though I am sure having something with flavor also helped me. Unfortunately, Disney does not sell Gatorade, nor do they provide it to the runners. The sports drink offered is Powerade. I have heard the drink stations along the course offer both water and Powerade. It was time to get used to Powerade.

Powerade ION4 - Lemon Lime

I picked up an 8 pack of the ION4 in Lemon Lime. Some runners who have done the Disney races have stated that is the flavor they typically see offered, so I figured it was best to use that one. I kept the drink on a bench while I ran around, using it to chase down the fruit chews after each mile. I really like it. I felt a bit refreshed after each drink. I also drank some post run, and felt like I was quickly recovering (from the run, not the illness, mind you).

I am happy to find what fuels me during runs, and feel like I fit in a bit more with the running community now that I can say, "here is what works for me!" when other runners ask. It really is trial and error, and I am glad that I didn't go through a ton of errors before finding the right products.

*Disclaimer - I was in no way compensated for these product recommendations. I am simply sharing products that have worked for me.