Swipe, Eat, Repeat

Not too long ago, I joined BASEendurance, a new company that hooks runners up with products they would actually use. (If you’re a runner and a blogger and are interested in signing up, check this out.) Anyway, I was able to try out this new product, Fuelstrip, through BASEendurance.

Fuelstrip is little strips that test your sweat to detect metabolites to determine when you need to fuel during activity. I used it during my run on Thanksgiving, but you can use it for any activity except swimming.

Ok, so here’s what you do: swipe one of these strips across your forehead every 15 minutes.

The strip will change to one of four colors and then you eat the amount of Fuelchews based on the color. Fuelchews are kinda like Gu Chomps, but not.

Anyway, I ran for 15 minutes then stopped to use my first strip. It was already yellow.

Somehow I doubted my need to eat two chews after only 15 minutes of activity but it probably had to do with my breakfast of Kix cereal and unsweetened almond milk instead of my usual 10+ mile breakfast of plain oatmeal or a low-sugar PB&J.

I ignored the strip and ran for another 15 minutes. The second Fuelstrip was green.

I brought the Fuelchews with me but wasn’t sure if I was going to eat them. (Remember, I can’t eat sugar when I’m running?) Since I was in a park and always, at most, one mile from a bathroom, I decided to play a little Russian Roulette with my stomach. I ate two chews instead of the recommended three, because three is just asking for a pants-pooping.

The Fuelchews were really good. They were easy to chew (like gum drops) instead of rubbery (like gummy bears). Now, I’m not saying this to blow sunshine up Fuelstrip’s, ahem, skirt – but I liked them way better than most of the other gummy-type chews out there. They didn’t stick to my teeth or take forever to chew.

After fueling, I ran for another 15 minutes, used another strip, and it was still green.

I ate one more Fuelchew, instead of the recommended three, and that was all my stomach could handle until I started feeling off.

I used one last strip 15 minutes later (still green) and finished up a seven miler way faster than I normally run.

That pace was probably a combination of the fueling and the 50 degree weather with a dash of me being generally awesome. 😉

Since I was taking pictures during the run, I stopped to use the Fuelstrips. In a race situation, I wouldn’t want to stop. The strips are pretty small and I’d probably drop them. So that would be my only complaint. People will more coordination, I’m sure, wouldn’t have a problem. I did hear Fuelstrip is coming out with a bracelet unit early next year which sounds like a better option for the clumsy.

Overall, Fuelstrip made me realize that I need to eat way earlier than I have been during races. Usually I won’t eat anything until I’m seven miles in and that’s only if I’m struggling. Eating while running and I have a dicey relationship. I used the strips for my seven miler but I think these would be really great for marathon training so you know how to fuel for a long run. Plus, they’re so affordable that you don’t really have anything to lose.