Review! SaltStick Caps Plus (Courtesy of SaltStick Co.)

After much too long of a wait... HERE IT IS!

I have been training on my twice-a-week long runs with SaltStick® Caps for the past month and a half and I really like them! I tried out two types: SaltStick® Caps and SaltStick® Caps Plus, and definitely preferred the Plus, which you can get here!

SaltStick® was nice enough to send me samples, and was extremely patient while I logged my 100 miles on their product. It was easy to find someone to personally talk to, opposed to talking with a computer (which you all know is my pet peeve). 

Price wise you are paying high for a high quality product. However I've learned that skimping, money-wise, when it comes to what you are fueling your body with during a long run is just stupid. While SaltStick® is $29.99/100ct it's about 30 cents a capsule and 100% worth it. However, despite being justified, it is a steep price.

I have a tough time with salt when I'm running, but the Plus were just fine with my stomach! (So long that I didn't take them on a completely empty stomach). They are easy on your stomach because SaltStick® has added sodium citrate to this capsule and it helps to soothe you. Another thing I really liked about the Plus was the small amount of added caffeine, it was a nice little & subtle boost during my run! And I actually didn't take them with a gel, instead just an electrolyte tab!

Overall these are really great! And I highly highly recommend them (: They are definitely my salt of choice now! (sponsorship in the future? *wink wink*)

Company:	5/5
Affordability:	3/5
Quality:	5/5
Usage:	5/5
Overall:	A

Key Features! (from SaltStick.com)

• The ONLY electrolyte capsule formulated to closely resemble the electrolyte profile lost during activity: sodium, potassium, calcium and magnesium.
• Only 1 capsule per serving. Suggested use: 1 capsule per 20-60 minutes during activity
• Buffered salt composition that helps digestion and absorption
• Sodium citrate soothes the stomach
• Each capsule contains 190 mg sodium, 53 mg potassium, 14 mg calcium, 7 mg magnesium, and 100 IU Vitamin D plus 30 mg caffeine
• Caffeine is a legal ergogenic ingredient that increases alertness and reduces fatigue
• Vegetable-based non-GMO capsule composition; Bio-available active ingredients. GMP production in a facility registered NSF Certified for Sport®.
• Fully soluble ingredients allows option of easy preparation of a custom caffeinated electrolyte beverage with a pleasantly mild salty taste
• Contains only WHAT YOU NEED. No: herbal, trace, questionable components added. Vegetarian and Gluten free.
• No sweeteners- no high fructose corn syrup, no sweeteners of any kind
• Does not contain any World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) or International Olympic Committee (IOC) banned substances
• Unique formulation is patent pending; Engineered by a Ph.D. chemist who is also a pro triathlete
• Saltstick® Caps uniquely includes vitamin D that helps the body absorb and utilize calcium.
• Great for effective rehydration during international travel, hiking and effects of alcohol and unfamiliar foods.

Review! Nuun Hydration Tablets

Go to the store, right this second, and grab yourself some Nuun. You can get them online by clicking here! I LOVE THESE LITTLE BABIES! Order them today and they'll ship out to you within a week (: -- how great is that?

I love sports drinks, and I need them for the electrolytes, but a lot of time they can get difficult to carry, they can get expensive, and if you have food dye allergies (like me) they can get tricky. Nuun is different because what you are buying are the tablets to make an electrolyte drink. Nuun+16oz H2O+2minutes = an electrolyte enhanced drink! 

They are fast dissolving (none of that shake-the-bottle dance needed) and they taste amazing! A lot of flavor and a little bit of fizz. I hand them out to my friends like candy and trust me, we're all obsessed.

I don't know a lot about the science behind Nuun, I just know how they make me feel. They are great for the standard after run slump, but they are also my new substitute for coffee! While Nuun doesn't contain caffeine, it does contain a lot of electrolytes, which gives your body a boost! I love everything about Nuun, except their price and website. They are a little on the steep side (even though they are still cheaper than an average energy drink), and their website is difficult to maneuver. When I was looking at their products they didn't have a lot of the clothes/apparel that they had in graphics all over their website. Slight false advertising there, but it doesn't change the fact that Nuun is outstanding, and I highly recommend them!

Company:	3/5
Affordability:	4/5
Quality:	5/5
Usage:	5/5
Overall:	B+

Review! NWHM Training Club Kick-Off Event!

Hey everyone! I'm finally getting around to writing a post about last Thursday and the Nike event I went to in Georgetown-DC, MD! The title of the event is a mouthful so here goes: 

The Nike Women's Half Marathon Training Club Kick-Off Event!

I went to support a friend of mine who's a brand ambassador, even though I'm not registered for the race (I missed the entrance time by one day! Drat!). We ended up metroing in from our college and arriving just as the event was starting (so I missed the scenic run which was definitely a bummer). Instead of going out for the runs (that varied in length and speed) we were on water and Luna duty. We handed out tons of little Luna bar samplers - Chocolate Peppermint! Mmmmm! - and little mini waters as the runners returned.

There was a little raffle going on and if you entered you would possibly win entry to the race, so I threw my name in (not expecting much), well would you believe that when the drawing time came the said that EVERYONE who put their name in the basket would get race entry!!! My friend didn't even know this and she works for the company!!!

I am so excited to run this race!!!!!!

It's amazing! You get a shirt, and a week of massages and facials leading up to the race, and then at the end of the 13.1 you get a Tiffany's necklace handed to you by a service man! The necklaces are specially engraved for the event and ONE OF A KIND! I love it!

A HUGE HUGE HUGE THANK YOU TO NIKE FOR MAKING THIS GIRL INSANELY HAPPY AND EXCITED!

Female Fitties: The 3 Most Common Struggles

While I'm a runner I have participated in my fair share of sports, from lacrosse to soccer to gymnastics and dance, I've seen it all and had almost every injury and issue in the book. While a lot of issues that can arise in exercise cross gender-lines some do not, there are plenty of "lady-only" issues. Here are the top 3:

1. Iron. We bleed every month and lose tons and tons of iron. The average adult woman need 15-18mg of iron per day, but because women typically eat less than men they are more at risk of anemia. Runnersworld.co.uk says that "Good sources of calcium are dairy products, dark leafy vegetables, broccoli, canned sardines and salmon, while foods high in iron include liver, fortified dry cereals, beef and spinach". Try to incorporate these foods into your daily meals, but do not take an iron supplement before consulting a doctor as high iron levels can be toxic to your body.
2. Periods. But more specifically cramps. When I have cramps I don't want to leave the fetal position, much less leave my bed. But on days when my cramps are at their worst I drag myself to my closet, put on my running clothes, and I go for a run (walk). Start small, just a half mile, now a mile, now 4 miles. Focus on your breathing and the pain will melt away before you know it.
3. Boobs, Butts, and Feminine Bodies. Men and women are built differently (as I'm sure you discovered in the 5th grade), and so our bodies take impact (like smacking cement on one leg with twice the force of your body weight - ie: running) differently. In fact the reason that you hear that slapping noise is because your shoes are too stiff (and your less muscular female foot cannot bend the material). Another example of women being the under-dog is a single leg squat. While both men and women can complete this movement it is more stressful for a female's body. This is because a female's pelvic girdle is wider and enhances the valgus stress on the knee. For the entire list click here. 

Sources:

active.com

med.nyu.edu

runnersworld.com

runnerworld.co.uk

running.competitor.com