For the longest time, Gatorade was my go-to sports drink. I remember what a difference it made back in my days of soccer. Drinking a bottle at halftime always gave me a burst of energy and significantly improved my performance during the second half versus when I just drank water. When I started training for my first marathon, I naturally turned to Gatorade as my hydration/nutrient replenishment source, knowing how important restoring electrolytes is for optimal performance.
Although I experienced some stomach problems during my training runs and at the Frederick Marathon, I attributed that to nerves and the whole marathon experience being new to me. It wasn't until my summer training that I realized that I indeed could not stomach Gatorade. This was rather hard for me to come to terms with. Gatorade had been so good to me for all these years, why was it failing me now?
I stubbornly tried to rely on Gatorade for runs. Knowing that water and Gatorade/Powerade are the only two drinks offered at races, I did not want to start having to carry my own drink to races if I found a new product that worked. I even experimented with diluting the drink with water and trying the G2 brand, but that didn't work either. Being the science dork that I am, I googled my problem and was relieved to discover that many runners experience the same problems and it is not some rare condition. The human body's absorption rate of high-fructose corn syrup (the second ingredient listed in Gatorade) is limited and what doesn't get absorbed can cause gastrointestinal distress. Exercise can exacerbate these symptoms.
After my stomach troubles during the Baltimore Marathon, I finally accepted defeat and decided I needed to try something different at the Marine Corps Marathon. I was nervous and reluctant about relying on just water and gels, for fear it wouldn't be enough electrolytes, but I knew I had to try it. I have stuck to just water and gels ever since with no problems so far, but I still fear that I might not be getting enough electrolytes, especially when the weather gets warmer. Thus, I have decided I'm going to start experimenting with different products, which brings me back to the subject of this post...
During my long run last weekend, Ram, a member of my pace group, was talking about Gatorade flavors, so I told him that I can't stomach Gatorade. That's when he asked me if I've ever tried coconut water. Coco what?!?! Did I hear him right? The stuff people drink on tropical islands? He told me it was all the rage with running these days and that people from other countries, including India (his ethnicity), have been drinking it during long-distance runs for ages.
Of course, the first thing I did when I got on the internet after my run was google "coconut water and running." I was hit with a vast amount of articles and blogs about "Nature's Sport Drink." I was surprised to learn that one cup of coconut water has more electrolytes than most sports drinks and more potassium than a banana, a mineral important for preventing cramping. Not only that, I also discovered that coconut water has been used as a IV fluid when saline was not available. It is the only liquid that can be put into the bloodstream intravenously. The medical uses and nutritional benefits of coconut water are endless. Who knew?! I usually think most health crazes are a bunch of scams, but this one actually sounds pretty legit. Plus, I don't even need an excuse to drink coconut water.
Today, several American companies have broken into the coconut water industry, including Zico, O.N.E., and Vita Coco to name a few. These brands sell at an average $2.00 per 11 oz. juice box and can only be found in natural and organic food stores, like Whole Foods. So I said @#$% that and went to the Asian supermarket, where I found 11.8 oz cans of coconut water for 69 cents! The only downside to the canned products is they have added sugar, which might not be any better on my stomach than the HFCS in Gatorade. I will have to look for the frozen kind and see if they add sugar to that. I told my parents about this new health craze yesterday and today, my mom came home with two fresh young coconuts for only $1.29 each. That's even more natural and fresh than the juice boxes and cheaper too! I can't wait to try out coconut juice on my long run tomorrow. Would you judge me if I made a handle out of duct tape and ran with a coconut?
Good stuff!
ReplyDeletei saw this on tv and at Wegmans....i wanna try it too!!!!!!!!!!
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