Six weeks after finishing Ironman Cozumel and I’m 85% recovered.
Then again, recovery might be taking longer then normal because I ate massive amounts of chocolate and drank loads of wine during the holidays. Nothing better then balancing six months of Ironman training with six weeks of gluttony … right!
2016 begins with getting my newly sculptured fat-ass and beach ball belly into shape for my next Ironman race; Superfrog, the oldest triathlon, inaugurated in 1979 and designed by the Navy Seals.
It’s only a 70.3, but it could be my most challenging race to date.
During a recent swim and after a few down-dog yoga moves, I thought about a guy I met before racing Cozumel who’s a rep for Electro-bites, an electrolyte product. He gave me a few samples. So I have been eating them, hoping they’ll help balance my system.
The samples are not enough to fuel a 100 mile ride on 100 degree day, so I can’t say if they would work well under those conditions. But, for my current schedule they are good. Here’s what I like:
- They were free. Seriously, that’s a plus.
- I’m trying to eat more organically. They are not branded as being organic, but they do contain natural ingredients that other gels and bars lack.
- They provide nutrition for athletes (at least for this athlete) with similar natural ingredients that I used for Cozumel – potatoes, coconut, and agave – which are high in calories and electrolytes. Each serving has 190mg Sodium, 55mg Potassium, and 46mg Magnesium.
- They are gluten free and soy free.
Flavors are subtle and yummy
Apple Cinnamon, Simply Salt, Salty Vinegar, Pumpkin Spice, and Salty Vanilla. I’ve tried them all, except Salty Vinegar. That 
one simply doesn’t sound appetizing.
NOTE: I like their small bite size because a handful easily fits in my palm, making it simple to pop in my mouth.
However, they crumble easily, and the package is difficult to open when riding or running – You got to put the package in one hand, use your teeth to tear it open, and then what do you do with the piece stuck in your mouth???
The solution:
Use one of my favorite packaging tricks; salt tabs and other electrolyte pills are put in an empty Mentos’ candy container.
It’s easy to hold.
It’s easy to open.
It keeps contents dry, and a decent amount of bites fit in one container.
Now that that’s solved, testing them during my next 100+ mile ride should be much easier. Updates to follow.
In 2016 challenge yourself. Stay hydrated. And explore opportunities that could help you have a healthy mind and body.
Cheers.