electrolyte balance

I've been wearing my e21 Kit a lot more lately which is leading to a lot of questions about the product. Please note, I'm not wearing the kit just to push the product, I do not get any sort of payment or commission or anything from the company. The company created a new sponsored athlete team this year to help promote this amazing product and I was one of the lucky athletes chosen. Anyhoo - Since I sold my tri-bike I've been riding only my road bike since IM and I like thicker shorts on that bike, hence the e21 Kit.

So, in an effort to kill some birds with with one post, if you will…. I just wanted to write a couple of quick notes about the product, and the benefits I've received. I am by no means a nutrition expert or understand the science behind all of the vitamins & minerals in the product (not to mention the magic seaweed) so all I can share is what it's done for me.

I've mentioned it before, but I'm big big sweater. A real big SALTY sweater. Training during the summer in AZ has never been easy for me. When I first started training long, especially on the bike (anything over 3hours), I would get this massive headaches after just a couple of hours. I started taking salt tabs to help…but even the high sodium based Thermolytes didn't do the trick most of the time (enduroltyes did nothing for me). I'd drink and drink, take pill after pill and finally resorted to stopping at gas stations and eating an entire packet of salt. Multiple times. While it helped and the headaches would be less prominent, I still didn't feel great. Not to mention the non stop bloating for days from so much sodium intake.

I'm happy to say that since I started taking e21 in January/February I have not taken ONE SINGLE salt tab. Nothing. I'm no longer craving all things salt (chips, popcorn, feta) all the time. Don't get me wrong, there's nothing better than a trip to Pita Jungle for some feta infused pizza or salad, but I don't HAVE.TO.HAVE.IT right now.

Anyone who was around me for the months leading up to IMCDA knows I trained my ass off. I worked hard, and put in a lot of quality training. Until the very end when my normal over-use injuries snuck there way in (stupid IT bands), I was in damn good shape. I was recovering quickly from 5-6hour rides and able to back it up with a 16-20mile run. My swims were always good efforts. Every day I was amazed at how my body dealt with the training. Now, I can't say it's all because of the magic seaweed pills. I know that I've been doing this endurance thing for a while, and I've always been really good about my HR training (even though the first 2 years of that may have been tho most BORING, painful and SLOW years of my life) so that definitely helped. However, I felt better than ever and I know it had a lot to do with e21.

Since Ironman I haven't been using the product as I should have been. I took 6 weeks off of formal training and just did what I wanted to do. Other than my weekend adventure in Flag and the impromptu 4 hour training ride, I wasn't doing anything "over an hour" so I wasn't thinking about taking any e21 (my regiment is 2pills per hour).

Then yesterday hit. We were watching my niece for a couple of days so S & I had to take turns riding. He went first so I was not able to get out and start my ride until 7:30am. It was 90ish degrees with about 50-60% humidity. The sun was blazing. My HR was way higher than normal for riding at the effort I was giving. I rode for 90mins. Nothing too crazy. A few big gear intervals, but my HR max was only 165 on those, the rest of the time 135-145 so I certainly wasn't killing it. I drank 2 x 20oz bottles of water & had 1 power gel in 90mins. When I got home I was drenched in sweat, salt and dizzy… I weighed myself. I was 2 lbs down from my pre-ride weight.

I spent the rest of the day trying to quench my thirst. I felt so tired, couldn't keep my eyes open. I had a coke with lunch hoping the sugar would help, ate a ton of fresh veggies trying to "eat clean." Nothing helped. I just plain ol' felt like SHIT.

Of course it never donned on me I should have taken e21. I wasn't "going long."… But then today I was getting some extra pills out to give to Shane (he was doing a 2:30 brick workout and then had to do some work travel - which always somehow ends up with a lot of not-so electrolyte-y consumption if you know what I mean, so I wanted to make sure he was getting in his electrolytes). As I did this the "hey stupid" light bulb went off and I realized I should be taking some as well! I only ran 30mins, but it's hot and humid as a mother-effer and I sweat through my clothes. I also had a swim set with some 100s mixed in to do so I didn't want to feel like crap.

Whadaya know, I took two e21s post run had a protein shake and headed to the pool a couple hours later to feel great on the swim. My 100s were on a good interval time for not too much effort & I got out feeling good.

So, anyway - I've reminded myself how important this electrolyte thing is, especially with this time of year. I've started my training back up to be in good shape for Soma half IM at the end of October and that means I'm gonna be training in these nasty conditions for 12 weeks. Luckily this amazing company is supplying me with the product as a benefit for being a sponsored athlete. I'm extremely grateful for this opportunity, and happy that every couple of months they send me samples to share with others!

So, if you are out there and haven't tried it.. Let me know, I'll get you some samples. Or if you just want to take my word for it, go HERE and use: dogmom for a 20% discount.

You WON'T be disappointed.

P.S. for those who cramp a lot in the pool. My husband is infamous for this. He cramps damn near every single time he swims. He just started back to training 3 weeks ago, and has done more work in the pool then EVER this early into a training season and I think he's cramped, or been on the verge of it only one time. After ~7month hiatus from training to recovery from injury/surgery he's been back at it with 10-14hr per week training sessions in the worst weather we get here in AZ and he's kicking ass! Guess who's been taking e21? Just saying'