Saturday, I returned home from one of the greatest adventures of my life. Five other women and I took off at 10:00am Thursday morning on a 30 hour, sleepless, 200 mile run over three mountain passes in Utah. Together we ran, and won – yes, WON – our division (Women’s Open Ultra) for Ragnar’s 10th anniversary Wasatch Back, all sponsored by Nuun Hydration. I will be writing a detailed race report very shortly, but in the meantime, I want to tell you about Nuun Hydration, the company responsible for assembling and supporting our winning relay team.
I have been a huge fan of Nuun (pronounced “noon”) for several years and so many of my readers and runners around me know the company that often times I forget that there people who know very little about what Nuun is, and more important, what it does for you as an athlete. That was evident when the girls and I ran Ragnar this past weekend. Some people on the course knew little or nothing about Nuun tablets. Some people said “oh yeah it’s those tablets you put in your water to flavor it.” Some people thought it was something religious (Nun). Although, many are religious about drinking it, Nuun is not a convent.
There are three different Nuun hydration products:
Nuun All Day
Nuun All Day: helps you drink more water every day with crisp and refreshing flavors and is enhanced with an all-natural blend of vitamins and minerals making it perfect for your daily routine.
*Hydration plays an elemental role in staying healthy, energized, and focused. Did you know dehydration is the #1 trigger of daytime fatigue?
*Sugary and caffeinated drinks take you on a roller coaster ride during the day, but with zero sugar, under 8 calories per tab, and an all-natural blend of 17 vitamins and minerals, Nuun All Day keeps you going.
*NUUN ALL DAY comes in 4 flavors: Grapefruit Orange, Tangerine Lime, Blueberry Pomegranate, and Grape Raspberry.
Nuun Active Hydration
Nuun Active Hydration: is formulated specifically for higher intensity activities and/or higher electrolyte replenishment needs.
*Packed with electrolytes, light flavor, no sugars or carbs, and portable, Nuun Active Hydration is the perfect sports drink.
*The electrolytes found in Nuun will help alleviate cramps and help muscles function, communicate, and burn energy efficiently.
*NUUN ACTIVE HYDRATION comes in 14 flavors: Banana, Orange, Lemon Lime, Strawberry Lemonade, Fruit Punch, Kona Cola, Lemon Tea, Tri-Berry, Grape, Tropical, Citrus Fruit, Cherry Limeade, Watermelon, and Lemonade.
Nuun U Natural Hydration
U Natural Hydration: is all-natural and contains a lower electrolyte profile to Nuun.
*U Natural Hydration makes it easier for people to stay optimally hydrated during less intense activities.
*U is all natural, sweetened with stevia, and is only 7 calories per tab.
*U NATURAL HYDRATION comes in 4 flavors: Cucumber Mint, Goji Berry Green Tea, Tangerine Ginger, and Lemon Chai.
The Nuun Difference
When I ran my first marathon, I was smoking down the race course until about mile 18 when my calves cramped up so badly I basically shuffled the last 4 miles. I had no idea that endurance athletes needed electrolytes to maintain their speed without cramping. Boy did I learn my lesson.
I started drinking electrolyte drinks after that, but most of them contained artificial color and sugar which would upset my stomach. I also found out that they did not contain enough Sodium. Sodium helps you retain water instead of sweating it out. We need to hold on to the water to maintain our speed on hot days and in all endurance events. Have you ever finished a run and your face was covered with crusty white stuff? That is salt, and if this has happens to you, you NEED to drink Nuun.
When I started drinking Nuun, I noticed that my running improved. I was able to maintain my speed on long runs and on hot days. I am a very salty sweater and it is essential that I drink Nuun.
In places like SoCal it’s very tricky because it’s warm and dry here, so sweat evaporates instantly. Don’t let that fool you, that average runner needs anywhere from 360-800 milligrams of sodium per hour on hot days. Guess what? 360 mg. is one 16 oz, bottle of Nuun.. BAM!
I drank Nuun during my entire 30 hour adventure at Ragnar Wasatach Back. It was hot on a few of my runs and we were at altitude. Plus some flavors contain caffeine, and when you’re running at 2 in morning that comes in handy. I felt hydrated the entire relay.
How about you? Have you tried Nuun?
Are you a salty “sweater”?
The Giveaway
I am also giving away a four pack of a Nuun flavor of your choice!
And if you don’t want to bother with the giveaway or you want to buy some this instant, Nuun is offering my readers a 15% discount with Code: hydrateHTC valid on all purchases, so you can use it more than once! Good until the end of September 2013.
The four pack of product for the giveaway is provided by Nuun Hydration… all opinions are my own.
