The folks at Hammer Nutrition recently announced a couple of new Endurolytes Fizz varieties – Grape (which is definitely on my must-try list), and Unflavored – to add to the currently available subtle and palate-pleasing flavors: Peach, Lemon-Lime, Grapefruit, Grape, and Mango.

Product details:
Superior full-spectrum electrolyte support
Effective cramp prevention
Convenient, rapidly dissolving effervescent tablets
Deliciously refreshing flavors
Economically priced
No refined sugars or artificial sweeteners
Free of undesirable manufacturing lubricants
Gluten-free and vegan friendly

Fizz Mixing Instructions
Add one or more Endurolytes Fizz tablets to your water or fuel bottle(s), allow tablets to dissolve completely, and consume as needed to maintain proper hydration and electrolyte levels.

Endurolytes Fizz are available in 13-capsule tubes ($6.50), or the more economical 100-count option for $39.95. [Prices correct 2/7/12 and subject to change.]

Full product/usage details can be viewed on the Hammer Nutrition web site.

Hammer also have a FREE 25-year Anniversary Visor offer going on at the moment – simply mention ad code EN78 when you place an order of $50 or more before April 30th, 2012. The Anniversary Visor is a $14.95 value, but please note limited supplies are available.

Once again, Hammer Nutrition products successfully fueled me during last weekend’s ICY-8 Adventure Trail Race. Sustained Energy was my breakfast of choice, with Perpetuem, Hammer Gel and Endurolytes providing a steady stream of fuel throughout the challenging eight hour event. If you have any questions about their products, just leave a comment below or feel free to shoot me an email at steve dot speirs at gmail dot com. You can also use my affiliate code 29178 to receive 15% off your first order.

Happy miles!

Course Description: Using all marked trails throughout First Landing State Park, runners will make two full 25 mile loops. Trails are primarily flat with varying terrain (sand, pine needles, wooden bridges, tree roots). Mostly runnable, there are a few sections that have technical short steep hills. Stunning water and trails views along the way. Terrain – 95% trail, 5% road.

Not sure where to start with this to be honest. I’d been *thinking* about this event for a while, but only signed up a couple of days before the race was due to take place. With the Cardiff Half Marathon and Marine Corps Marathon taking place later this month I knew recovery from a 50 mile race would be a bit hit or miss. However, in the end I decided a local, inaugural 50 Miler was too good an opportunity to pass up.

Priorities were to enjoy the event, the course and the ultra-camaraderie, but I also had a sneaky outside goal of breaking 7 hours. Probably a bit ambitious with my recent glute/groin issues, but what the heck, eh? I deliberately chose to not go public with the goal as I didn’t want this race to turn into a “pressure event” – turned out to be a good decision.

Pre-race I set my Garmin to beep every ten miles, alert me each hour (a reminder to take 3 Endurolyte capsules) and to just display average pace. I also set “Jonesy” (my virtual partner) at 8:24/mile pace – just fast enough to squeeze inside the 7 hour goal.

[And we're off.... Photo courtesy Ally Speirs]

I figured I’d probably go out too quick, and I was correct – 8:10 pace for the first 10 mile loop, but it felt.so.good. Perpetuem was my fuel of choice, but I’d also stashed an espresso gel (and the Endurolytes) into my hand held pouch for some emergency fuel if the need arose.

It was nice to have company for most of the first 25 mile loop. I ran about 18 miles with the female half of the 2 x 25 mile relay team. She was using the 25 Mile event as a long training run for Ironman Florida. We chatted about triathlon, running, nutrition and a variety of other topics, and the miles literally flew by. 2nd 10 mile split was 8:11 pace – again too quick, but once again it felt.so.good.

[Note: I did manage to cut my upper arm on a tree branch in the early miles, and also took an embarrassing tumble on one of the side trails - my first real trip on a tree root, and it all happened in slow motion just like the text books say. Luckily there was no damage (aside from sand all down the left side of my body), so I picked myself up and carried on running.

Not sure what happened at around the 18 mile mark. Without making any conscious effort, I picked up the pace and started to stretch things out. Deep down I knew it wasn't a wise move, but had a hard time dialing things back to my original goal. I didn't get a split for the half-way 25 mile mark, but finished in front of the relay lady, and also the 1st place runner in the 25 Mile event. Naturally I set off for the 2nd 25 mile lap a very confident runner...

My third 10 mile split came in at 7:40 pace - way too fast with 20 miles still to run. It was about this time that I realized the temperature had risen pretty quickly and I was sweating profusely. I brushed away a bug that was buzzing around my head and was horrified at the salt crystals that had formed on my neck. Despite taking a regular dose of Endurolytes I was a little scared that my electrolyte levels were off, and made sure to take in pretzels and chips at the next aid station. I never really felt thirsty, and the combination of my hand held w/ Perpetuem and water at the aid stations felt just about perfect.
I think it was the loneliness of the 4th 10 mile section that made me slow up. Yeah, I was getting tired, but I think I lost focus for a few miles and spent longer than normal at the aid stations making sure I took in plenty of salty snacks. I also had to make a stop in the woods for a short time, so this may have cost me a minute or two too! Anyway, 8:59 pace for the 10 miles. Hmmm....

With *just* 10 miles to go (5 of them on the tricky side trails of the park), I worked out I needed to roughly average 9 minute miles to break the sub-7:00 barrier. Sounds easy, but with 40 miles in the legs already, it was difficult to keep the cadence going. The next five miles were the toughest of the race. With "the win" almost guaranteed (I forgot to mention I was in 2nd place until about the 13 mile mark, after which I continued to put big time on my nearest challenger), the thought of backing off the pace and coasting home to the finish crossed my mind. Well, actually, the thought crossed my mind for just a split second before deciding to throw caution to the wind and just "go for it". However, I didn't/couldn't improve my pace on the Osprey & Cape Henry Trails, which left me 5 miles to cover in 45 minutes. Ugh.

I'd already ditched my hand held at this stage in the race (sick of carrying it), but knew there were 3 aid stations that I could grab water from if necessary. Come on, Steve; let's do it. Thankfully the Cape Henry Trail is marked every half mile, which I took full advantage of..... As each half mile passed, I found myself putting time in the bank, and with one mile to go was amazed that there were 12 minutes left to break the magic 7 hour mark.

[Managed to find a spring in my step for the final 100m... Photo courtesy Ally Speirs]

I cruised the last mile, thanked the final aid station volunteers for their help and support, and kicked it in for the finish. The clock displayed 6:56 something as I crossed the line, but to be honest was in my own little word and purely on auto-pilot. (8:49 pace for the final 10 btw…)

[Sub-7:00. Wow... Photo courtesy Crystal L. Santos Photography]

What a wonderful event, and what a very satisfying performance. Not really sure where I find the drive to keep pushing when the going gets tough, but hope it never goes away. Thanks to everyone for the continued support, wonderful comments and daily motivation – it really means so much. Thanks also to Final Mile Events for putting on a top notch event and to all the wonderful volunteers who gave up their Saturday to help out a bunch of crazy ultra runners.

By the way, the Gibbet 50 awards are probably the coolest I’ve seen at any race. Check out the light-up skull I won for being 1st place Male. Tremendous!!

[Accepting 1st Place Male award from Race Director Brenda Carawan... Photo courtesy Ally Speirs]

Purist bottles are the first water bottles that offers a taste as pure as drinking from a glass, with all the advantages of a flexible bottle. Features include a protective barrier inside that prevents odors, stains, and mold from permanently attaching; the Watergate™ cap with a self-sealing Heart Valve™ to prevent leaks; and a clearview strip to make liquid analysis easy.

Perpetuem has been successfully used in the world’s toughest endurance contests. By using Perpetuem during your longer-duration workouts and races, you can stay focused on the job at hand and not have to worry about coming up short on energy or getting sick from your fuel.

I always use Perpetuem as my main fuel in marathon distance events, but more recently have experienced the importance of the high-quality endurance fuel in a 50K, 50 Miler and 24-hour event. Quite honestly, I wouldn’t risk any other product during prolonged exercise.

Mention ad code P211A when you place your order. Limit one. Offer expires 7/31/11 at the Hammer Nutrition web site.

• Alternate Perpetuem, Sustained Energy & HEED each loop as my primary fuel source.
• Take 3 – 4 Endurolyte capsules per loop.
• Always carry a Hammer Gel for an extra boost of energy on some of the longer (time-wise) loops.
• Drink plain water at both the 3 mile aid station, and the main drop bag/aid station located at the start/finish area.

To be honest, I wasn’t sure how long I could maintain a Hammer only fuel strategy, but aside from a momentary craving for a cup of Mountain Dew (not a good idea!), two small triangles of quesadilla (really hit the spot), a medium-sized banana (boring, but did the trick), bottle of ZICO coconut water (a welcome change for the taste buds) and cup of hot beef broth made from two OXO cubes (a real life-saver), I stuck to Hammer Nutrition fuel like my life depended on it. Of course, it really helped to have a great crew who could prepare and hand-off the fuel at the start of each loop, but that’s a story for another time.

Because I constantly switched from product to product, I never tired of the taste – one loop it would be the plain old Sustained Energy, the next my taste buds would come alive for the Orange-Vanilla Perpetuem and then there was always the refreshing Mandarin Orange HEED every third loop. Also, an espresso gel at the mid point of each 6.25 mile loop would provide a welcome kick to get me back to the start/finish area if required.

I decided on a 1.5 scoops/22oz bottle of each fuel per loop – that’s 150 calories for HEED, a fraction over 200 calories for Perpetuem and 160 calories for Sustained Energy. Add in a 90 calorie espresso gel per loop, and my fuel requirements for the whole 24 hours were adequately taken care of. On paper anyway.

Now I have time to sit back and think about the race, I can honestly say I suffered no stomach issues whatsoever, aside from one small “windy” issue after consuming the Mountain Dew. Never again.

As for the race conditions, once the sun came up, it turned pretty hot and sticky on some parts of the course. This lasted through to the mid-afternoon, when a few clouds rolled in and thankfully cooled things off a bit. Consequently I sweated a lot, but had total faith that the Endurolytes were maintaining my electrolyte levels. Despite hearing a few horror stories about hunger, dehydration and severe cramping, I managed to keep cramps at bay and my energy levels stayed pretty consistent throughout – a great testimony to the wonderful range of products from Hammer Nutrition.

The event was a great one, as I managed to churn out 106.25 miles in just under 24 hours, and win the race. Unbelievably, my last 6.25 mile loop was faster than at least the previous ten, and I’m still in shock at how much energy I had left after 23 hours of running. Thank you, Hammer – can’t imagine racing without you.

[To receive 15% off your first order with Hammer, be sure to mention code 29178 when you check out.]

ZICO contains the five essential electrolytes that gives your body everything it needs to stay hydrated and perform at your best. One ZICO has more potassium than a banana – 15 times more than most sports drinks – to prevent cramping. Drink ZICO before or during a workout for the natural energy you need for optimal performance. After a workout, ZICO replenishes and re-hydrates you to speed recovery.

I typically consume a packet of Hammer Nutrition’s Recoverite in 12oz of water post-long run, but occasionally I fancy something a little more substantial. Therefore, after Saturday’s 20 mile long run, I decided to experiment a little and blend up a new recovery smoothie.

Ingredients are simple:

• 8oz ZICO Coconut Water
• 1 packet/2 scoops Hammer Nutrition Chocolate Recoverite
• 1 chopped/frozen banana
• 7 large ice cubes

Throw everything into a blender. Mix up until all the ice has been crushed and you should end up with something resembling the above pic. Tastes delicious and is literally the perfect recovery smoothie!

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup fat free milk
• 1 tbsp instant coffee
• 10 walnut halves (shelled)
• 10 ice cubes
• 2 scoops Hammer Chocolate Whey Protein powder
• 2 packets Stevia (optional)

Method:
Add the milk, coffee, walnuts and optional Stevia to a suitable blender. Blend until mixed, then add the ice cubes and scoops of protein powder. Blend until the desired thickness is achieved. Serve immediately!

Nutrition:

• Calories — 356
• Protein — 43g
• Carbs — 14g
• Fat — 13g

Alternative recipe:
After a longer run (more than 10 miles), I’ll substitute one of the scoops of Hammer Chocolate Whey Protein powder with one scoop of Hammer Chocolate Recoverite powder. This combination yields an extra 15g of carbs, but reduces the protein down to 31g.

Fun fact:
The word “walnut” originates from wahlnut, an Old English word for “Welsh-nut.” I never knew that!

Hammer Nutrition:
Dont’t forget, if you’d like to try any of the Hammer Nutrition products, feel free to use my referral code (29178) to receive 15% off your first order! (Discount applied once the order has been received and processed.)

I just received my first order for 2010 — another box of espresso gels, Tissue Rejuvenators and 32 serving container of HEED — but will soon be ordering again to try out some of their new flavors. Chocolate Recoverite sounds like an interesting addition, as does the Montana Huckleberry Gels.

While I’m on the site, I may even take advantage of their great clearance offers on the 2009 range of clothing: the Coolmax Singlet is now $12.65 instead of $29.95 (this is the same singlet I wore in my 2009 Cayman Islands Marathon victory!), hooded sweatshirt $24.88 down from $29.95 and men’s tri shorts down to $25.30 from $34.95. There are many other great offers listed too, but you’d better hurry as all are in limited quantities. Just go to the Hammer Nutrition web site and look for the “Clearance” link at the bottom of the left side navigation.

Note: You can use my referral code [29178] to receive 15% off your first order with Hammer Nutrition, but the discount will not be applied to clearance items. Also, all sales are final for clearance items.

If you’d like to find out more about Hammer Nutrition, feel free to request one of their comprehensive catalogs or sign up for their informative newsletter. You can even follow them on Twitter and become a fan on Facebook.

This particular smoothie has no fat, a muscle boosting 33g of protein and still manages to tastes great – perfectly refreshing for the summer months.

Here’s what you’ll need:

• 8oz orange juice (my preference is Minute Maid Pulp Free)
• 3/4 cup frozen mixed berries
• 1/2 cup frozen blueberries
• 1/2 cup frozen raspberries
• 1.5 scoops whey protein (my preference is Hammer Nutrition Whey Protein)

Put all ingredients into a blender – orange juice first, then the protein powder followed by the frozen fruit. Pulse until smooth (usually about 30 seconds). Pour into a glass which has been pre-chilled in the freezer, add a long straw and enjoy! Sunshine optional.

Note: Berry Boost Smoothie can be made without protein powder for an equally refreshing dessert drink.

For example, I take between 2-4 Tissue Rejuvenator capsules on a daily basis to maintain joint and tissue health.

Before a swim, I’ll pop a couple of Endurolyte capsules to help stave off leg cramps. Of course, Endurolytes work flawlessly in warm weather races and training runs too. I honestly can’t remember the last time I experienced painful leg cramps at the end of a marathon or long training run since I discovered Endurolytes. By the way, if you’re a restless leg or late night muscle twitch sufferer, Endurolytes may just be the product to help you!

Anyway, back to the original point of this post. Many of the Hammer products I use, such as Recoverite, Sustained Energy, HEED and Perpetuem, are made available in powder form. Mixing them at home has never been an issue, but occasionally at the races the powder doesn’t mix well in a regular sports bottle, leaving a clumpy liquid that is difficult to consume.

Hammer Nutrition are now selling a very cool Blender Bottle (pictured above left). The bottle may just look like an ordinary 16oz plastic drinks container, but what makes it unique is the patented, stainless steel Blender Ball ® which makes mixing drinks a breeze! I actually found a generic Blender Bottle several months ago in a Whole Foods grocery store, and it works perfectly, but now that Hammer are selling their own branded bottle, I’ll definitely be ordering one soon – especially as it only costs $6.95. Bargain!

The Hammer Nutrition Blender Bottle ® features a StayOpen™ flip cap, GripperBars™ to make it easy to hold, a secure screw on lid, large drink/pour spout and is easy to clean and dishwasher safe. The bottle is also BPA Free!

Don’t forget, if you’re a new Hammer Nutrition customer, you can take advantage of a “15% off your first order” offer. Just mention the following code when you check out: 29178.

Note: the discount won’t be displayed in your cart, but it WILL be deducted from your final total when the order is processed.

I’ve used the endurance-prolonging Race Day Boost many times in the past and am convinced it does exactly what it says on the web site:

Hammer Nutrition claim RDB will:

(a) Prolong endurance
(b) Increase performance time at anaerobic threshold
(c) Provide unsurpassed lactic acid buffering and
(d) Help boost glycogen storage

An extra benefit of the product is that 2000 mg of glutamine daily, (the amount provided in four servings/one day’s loading dose of Race Day Boost), has been shown to elevate plasma growth hormone levels, a definite benefit while tapering for an event.

Here’s the technical info from the Hammer Nutrition web site:

Race Day Boost contains one of the most potent legal ergogenics available for competition. In the most extensive study to date on Race Day Boost’s key ingredient, fit cyclists, in a 40K time trial, netted a whopping 8% improvement in performance time! The simple formula belies its profound effectiveness, aiding in increased cellular energy production and buffering performance-robbing lactic acid. A four-day loading dose of Race Day Boost prior to a key race can make a noticeable improvement in your performance.

I’ve found the best way to take Race Day Boost is to dissolve the powder in 3 to 4 ounces of warm water and drink as fast as possible. FYI, if you use a cold/cool liquid the powder tends to “clump” and is a bit more difficult to swallow.

If you’re curious about Race Day Boost or any of the other great Hammer Nutrition products, don’t forget you can take advantage of the 15% off your first order promotion. Just follow the link to receive the one-time 15% saving!

Please feel free to email me if you have any questions.

Note: Do NOT take Race Day Boost the day of the event.