August 28, 2013

Something Old, Something New-Long Run Hydration products


Something old, something new, something borrowed (okay, so it was actually sent to me for free)...you know how the wedding saying goes.

Today I've got a quick post on some of the products I've been using for hydration for marathon training, especially during/after those long runs! I'm usually a straight water drinker for runs.  Before marathon training, if I was doing a long distance I'd drink some Gatorade zero or mix up a bottle of half regular gatorade/half water for during/after my run. I still use that sometimes but decided to experiment with some products. With marathon training, there is a lot of focus on having proper nutrition and hydration (especially with that heat we had in the beginning of the summer!). I've found a few products that are now in my rotation that seem to work well for my long runs.


running-hydration-helpers

1. Something old: Chocolate Zico Coconut Water

I love coconut water in general, but this chocolate zico water has my heart. I've been drinking it for a while, but especially love it as a tasty treat after my runs.

 It tastes like a more delicious Yoo-Hoo, which I used to have with lunch all the time when I was younger (even though I know now that it's a a weird chocolate beverage and not chocolate milk?!?).  Zico has potassium and electrolytes  which makes it an excellent hydration choice.  Don't worry, this chocolate flavor is gluten free and dairy free too! I particularly like this post-run and sometimes add some chocolate protein powder and shake it up in the bottle for a nice recovery drink! 

I picked this up a few bottles at Trader Joe's but most grocery stores carry Zico now. For more info look at Zico's website!

2. Something newNuun

nuun-hydration

I had first tried nuun at the Nike Women's DC Half in April. Nuun was a sponsor and had a taste testing at the expo and served it along the course.  I've picked up a couple tubes in the strawberry lemonade active hydration flavor since and have been loving having it in my water bottles during a long run. 

It is an effervescent tab, reminiscent of Alka-Seltzer, that you mix with 16 oz. of water .It does not look like much, but actually packs a punch with electrolytes and sodium with virtually no carbs and sugar. It's made for rapid absorption to get your body replenished quickly! The effervescence can be off-putting to some people. I find that I mix it with maybe a little more water than directed so it's less fizzy and am sure that I stir it really well before drinking.  

You can buy nuun at most sporting or running stores and online!


3. Something sent: ORAL I.V.

Disclaimer: I was sent ORAL I.V. for free to review. No compensation was given for this post. All opinions are my own. 
I was excited to receive my sample of ORAL I.V. because I've been really interested in ways to stay hydrated lately.  I received 2 packs, each with little plastic tubes four tubes inside. It's a colorless, tasteless, liquid that you can drink right out of the tube or mix into water. I mixed it in a glass of water right before my long run last week.  The night before my run I hadn't drank as much water as I should have and had a few glasses of wine, oops. 

I didn't feel at all dehydrated during my run which may be because of the ORAL I.V., who knows! The website says it's an ultra concentrated rapid hydration formula that supports faster recovery and production of energy, facilitates removal of cellular waster by-products, and helps maintain heightened alertness and concentration.  They claim the product contains no sugars, stimulants-including caffeine, additives, preservatives, or artificial ingredients. 

Also, it doesn't replace electrolytes or water, so I used nuun in my water bottle during my long run after taking this.   I'll probably finish up the packs and see if I notice any difference. It's not been evaluated by the FDA, but says it was first made available to the military and has a slew of testimonials on their website.  Check out ORAL I.V. on facebook or their website  for information about purchasing!


Let me know if you try any of these products out or what your favorite way to hydrate is!

6 comments:

  1. Nuun is the best! But you already know that. Can't wait until we consume massive amounts of it next month during HTC. I've never tried the chocolate coconut water. I wasn't a fan of the regular though.

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    1. Me neither-I'm running low on watermelong Nuun as a matter of fact! The chocolate tastes way more yummy-even my bf who doesn't like coconut water thinks so!

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  2. I've always been so skeptical of coconut water! I dislike regular old coconut water immensely, but so many people love the flavored ones. I really ought to give it a try, it's supposed to be such an incredible form of hydration.

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    1. The flavored ones may have a little bit more sugar but they taste better if you aren't a huge coconut fan. It is a great form of hydration and super refreshing if you drink it ice cold!

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