Gettin' Amp'd...

This weekend was a BLAST! :) So glad my two cousins and I were able to get away and just relax. There was only one night of mayhem but tons of good food and tons of old people at our resort. We went and played trivia night one night, and won two bottles of champagne and I was the grand prize winner of a bag of popcorn. Exceptional prizes I know. Over the weekend I also finished two books including Chasing Harry Winston and Ultra-Marathon Man by Dean Karnazes. Both are really good and it was nice to read two totally different books. I'll be posting a review of both once the holidays are over.

Unfortunately, I didn't get in as much running as I wanted to, but I did a bum busting workout yesterday and then again this morning that included a 3 mile, 6.5 incline run that I thought I would never finish. I also did some weight-lifting today and yesterday that made me sore today. Tomorrow I'm finally getting the chance to go back to Amp'd Abs and I'm stoked! I can't wait to get back into the swing of things and start training more hardcore for my half in February.

Here's one picture of my cousin and I, posing by a big pig in front of the BBQ place "Babe's" in Rancho Mirage. We didn't even eat there, but the picture on the pig was hard to pass up. I'll be posting a few more pictures when I get them from my cousins camera.

So in the wide world of running I've come to realize that running more than five miles without a little energy booster is a drag, and that is why the gift of the day is dedicated strictly to these lovely little energy boosters. I've got a wide variety of reviews and where to get Gu's, shot blox, everything you can think of!


MMMM it's 10:00 am and now I'm hungry for sugar!


Gu has the "GU is simple. Simple is fast." slogan and they are quick, but I'm not one to rave about their consistency. Sometimes, on a nasty flavor, I've been one to gag. Anyways, GU Energy Gel provides just what you need for premium exercise fuel and none of the extras that slow you down. GU takes you where you want to go, fast. GU’s carbohydrate blend delivers high-quality, easily-digested and long-lasting energy for athletes in every sport and at all levels. If I'm running more than 45 minutes I down one of these bad boys.

Outdoor Pros has the 6 pack GU Tri-Berry for $6.08

Jenson USA has many flavors for $.99 for a single shot

Lucky Vitamin has the 24 packs of single shots for $21.98



Clif Bar & Company has introduced my personal favorite, the CLIF SHOT Blox. They are the latest nutrition option for endurance athletes. Bloks come in chewable, 33 calorie cubes, making it easy to customize and track caloric and electrolyte intake during long outings and races. You can easily buy them right off their website too. They have tons of good flavors and I love the black cherry and strawberry, but Pina Colada is yucky. They have a 12 pack of blox and there are 6 blox in each pack. They are sold for $23.88 Check them out HERE!

I am the hugest fan of Jelly Bean Sport Beans too. They are tasty, small, easy to handle and did I mention, like CANDY? They are $4.99 for 5 here, and you can look at all the flavors, prices and packets here. At REI, they are a steal for only a $1.00 a pouch. Go here to see the REI selection.

Power Bar also has it's own offerings called the Power Bar Gels. I don't like these ones as much, but I have grown to love the Power Bar Gel Blasts. They are like the shot blox, in their small shape. The cola one is decent-tasting bite-sized energy chew. I have yet to try the lemon flavored one. They are $1.99 a bag and can be found HERE!

Here's some more links just in case you were interested in other kinds:

Powerbar Gel from REI -$1.25 single shot


Hammer Gel from REI - $1.25 single shot


So gel up and get out there. These seriously have helped me get through my long runs, and even I didn't understand the purpose of them to begin with once I started using them, I realized they are so helpful! Enjoy the power of energy!


xoxo