Clif Shot Bloks Review

Last week on my longest run to date, I tried another running fuel product - Clif Shot Bloks

from the website:

CLIF SHOT takes a streamlined approach to performance nutrition – delivering only what your body needs most while training and racing. Our all-natural and organic ingredients help provide clean and natural performance for essential energy and hydration, plus fast muscle recovery.

My friend had a sample pack from a race in the US that looked like this:

Though when I check out our local running stores I see packages like this:

Things I liked: 

• Taste great!
• Texture is good.  Not slimy, no grit, no stickyness - nice & smooth.
• Don't stick to your teeth much as other products I've tried.  My friend has braces however and the residue did last a little longer for her, but it did "melt" away unlike some other products that hang out until you find a toothbrush.
• 3 bloks on a 16 mile run and my energy felt good.  Not sure if it was solely from these, but I do think they helped.

 Things I didn't like: 

• Size - they're way too big.  I put one blok in my mouth and the plan was to just let it melt itself away as apparently I'm coordinated enough to talk & run, but not to chew & run.  For quite a while I had a big lump sitting there in my cheek and it took probably a full mile to melt away.  I think I'd rather cut these in half and take two.
• The bloks are joined together (I think in groups of 3 ... don't quote me on that though).  This is probably fine, but it was somewhat cold and we had left them in a steel mailbox.  So by the time we went for our 2nd block, for the life of us, we could not break those suckers apart.  Twist, turn ... nothing!  We decided to say "screw it!" and popped a double blok in.  Let me tell you ... I didn't think I could chew & run before, this was impossible with two bloks in there.  I literally could not get a word out with that hunk in there.  Which of course sent us into hysterics, nearly laughing the thing out.  I gave up and chewed the thing as fast as I could.  Ideally I'd rather savour the flavour a little longer.

 Would I try them again?

Absolutely!  The only real obstacle was the size and that is easily overcome.  Next time they will certainly be cut at least in half and instead of taking one every 6 miles, I'd like to take half every 3 miles.

These are the flavours they come in: 

• Black Cherry
• Cola
• Cran Razz
• Lemon Lime
• Margarita
• Mountain Berry
• Orange
• Strawberry
• Tropical Punch

 What I want to try:

MARGARITA baby!!!!  YUM.  I love me a lime margarita and this is #1 on my list of products I want to try.  However, I've yet to see it in stores here.  With my luck it's not sold in Canada, but I'll keep looking, and if I ever get some room on that Visa card I'm placing an order.

 

 

 

The other flavour that intrigues me is COLA, which contains 50mg of caffeine.  Sounds like a good combination to me.  Again, I haven't seen it here but I gotta find it!

If anyone knows where I might be able to find these flavours in a store I'd love to know. 

Keep Active!

Heidi

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Hoping for a Good Weekend

I'm getting so excited for my race this weekend.  My foot is feeling fantastic, my hip is feeling quite good and the weather is expected to be sunny.  And ... to top it all off it's on my absolute FAVOURITE running trail!  The footing is fantastic and it's so serene.  This is by far my favourite place to run.  I will try to remember my camera so I can take some pics to share.  Here's a few from last years series, which was VERY cold.

Eating was OK today.  I had a frozen meal left in the freezer at work so decided to have that instead of something made at home. 

Breakfast - Oatmeal with Nutracleanse (see review below), Kraft unsweetened unsalted peanut butter and Kashi Go Lean Crunch

Lunch - President's Choice Spinach & Cannelloni, pear & 1/2 banana **

Dinner - Vegetable soup & grilled cheese

Dessert - 1% milk and 3 Peak Freans Lifestyle Vanilla Bean Latte cookies.

** Random thoughts here .... today I had 1/2 banana at lunch.  For most of you this may not be significant, but for me it was.  I see people eat half a banana all the time and I often wonder "What do you do with the other half?".  Seriously, doesn't it go mushy?  or brown??  I either eat the whole banana or throw the other half away (as I did today because half of it was bruised and I do NOT eat bruised bananas).  Yeah, random .. whatever!

A while ago I received some sample packs of this product called Nutracleanse.  I've been using it off and on for a while and thought I'd write up a little review.  This is made by a locally owned company so if you don't live in BC you may never have encountered it.  But if you ever do see it (locations)... you should try it!

It seems to be touted as a product for the relief of constipation, and even a bit for weight loss.  Neither of those reasons are why I personally use it.  It's got ground flax and ground psyllium in it, which we all know is good for us.  But really ... it tastes good and adds a little texture!

I love to have it sprinkled on yogurt and lately I've been mixing it with my morning oatmeal.

And ... while it is recommended for constipation I can assure you that it does help things get moving, but it doesn't keep it moving beyond what is necessary (unlike alot of more commonly known laxatives).  It does it's job and life goes on as normal. 

If everyone could keep their fingers crossed for me this weekend that would be great.  This is a race I'm hoping to do really well in and my son has an important game this weekend too.

Hope everyone is having a great day - and have a great weekend too!!!!!

Heidi

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