Hi there! Jenn here. A little backstory: a few weeks ago I randomly tweeted to our scores and scores of devoted followers that we had never used any kind of energy gels or beans or what have you, and did anyone having suggestions? Why, Sasha Bratt did – Energy Bits are the thing, said he! They’re made with algae, totally natural and great for you. And then Energy Bits themselves tweeted back – seriously, this Twitter team is ON TOP OF IT – offering samples for review. Which we accepted because it sounds awesome and also because OMG SAMPLES TO REVIEW! Anyway, we tried the bits, and here are our initial thoughts.
JENN: You use the bits today?
MOON: I did!
JENN: Me too. And so did Ruffian, with every evidence of enjoyment.
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| “These must be for me.” – Ruffian (always) |
When I first opened the box, the cats immediately showed up and began investigating with great interest. I was amused and tweeted about this occurrence, and Energy Bits tweeted back saying that they’re safe for all animals and make great treats!
So I figured what the heck and offered them each one. Minx ultimately decided against it, but Ruffian scarfed hers down. So: cat approved.
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| “Cans in their natural state contain tuna fish. Something has gone very wrong here.” – Minx |
MOON: Awww, that’s adorable! My cat did the exact opposite. Hoodoo decided she was REALLY hungry. She bit multiple holes in a new bag of treats and decided to eat half the bag.
JENN: Oh, then she’s already full.
MOON: Exactly.
JENN: Not that we could ever be nearly as exciting as pictures of cats sniffing things, but since you tried the bits for their intended purpose, namely, energy: how did your run go?
MOON: My run was all right, but honestly: I felt no different than usual. I would be interested to try it again because I think that everything deserves two chances.
So, I took the Energy Bits about one hour before I ran, with liquid. When I began my run, I had cramps… and that’s weird because I haven’t had cramps while running for years now.
JENN: Leg cramps? Or stomach?
MOON: Stomach cramps. I’m not convinced that the two are correlated, but I figured I’d lay out all the facts.
JENN: Indeed. Did they go away?
MOON: That’s the weird thing! I decided I was running through them, so I did. Buuut, they never subsided.
JENN: … You ran seven miles with stomach cramps?
MOON: Eight.
JENN: Holy smoke, Rocky.
MOON: I actually really love Rocky (and there’s a special place in my heart for Rocky IV).
JENN: I was actually referring to Rocky the Flying Squirrel, but now that you mention it, you DO have the eye of the tiger.
MOON: Rawr.
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| The last known survivor |
JENN: Precisely. Aside from the cramping, did you feel anything else might be different?
MOON: I was a little more agitated than normal, but I’ve been that way before without cramping to that degree. Maybe I had something weird to eat? Like I said, I would love to give it another try.
JENN: Eat anything cheesy? Could your lactose intolerance be the culprit?
MOON: Nope! No milk, just my normal food.
So, how did your run go?
JENN: My run went really well. I broke through my official goal time! Did 13.1 miles in 2 hours 9 minutes, then continued on to finish 17.14 miles in 3 hours 5 minutes.
Did the bits help with that? Very possibly. I knocked out the times I wanted and was able to keep truckin’.
However, I didn’t feel awesome. I felt like I was working to accomplish a goal. I’m not sure how much was bits and how much was the refrain in my head insisting that I not quit.
MOON: Same for me.
JENN: I also wonder if we were oversold on the bits; expected too much of them. They have lots of GLOWING reviews about how they make running a joy.
Now, I must admit, however, that I PR’d for a practice half and then ran my longest ever. I didn’t feel too terribly sick post run and I was able to keep going, even if a lot of it was psychology – my body didn’t quit on me. I can’t dismiss bits out of hand. I mean, there is no magic bullet – if there were, everybody would be running with ease! If it’s the bits that kept me going, then I want to know that.
MOON: Also, I must point out that this amount of protein is something my body is NOT used to.
JENN: True! You may need to try smaller doses.
MOON: I would be totally up for it. I like the idea of the delivery and everything, but I think I would need to experiment with timing and amount.
JENN: I agree with Moon – more research is required. We still have some bits left, and if anything changes, we’ll be sure to mention it in our weekly review.
Sorry to be so indecisive! I guess the moral of this story is that everything is worth multiple tries, but not everything is right for everyone. Experimentation is key. Energy Bits, we still have hopes for you.
Mind you, there’s much left to try. Next I want to try a Honey Stinger waffle. I mean, it’s an energy WAFFLE. How exciting is that?!
And anyway, Ruffian liked them. She’s way cuter than I am, so I see no reason to doubt her.
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| “She speaks the truth.” – Ruffian |
Thanks to Energy Bits for sending us the samples! In the interest of full disclosure, we should note that the samples were free. All opinions provided, however, are our own. Obviously.
Don’t forget, you can follow FRoA on Twitter @fairestrunofall and on Instagram @fairestrunofall. If you have any questions or thoughts, leave a comment or email fairestrunofall@gmail.com. See ya real soon!