Tag Archives: Hammer Nutrition

Healing Waters

09 Friday Aug 2013

Posted by in Medical Files, Running

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indian hot springs hotelI’m taking a half day vacation this afternoon to drive up to Idaho Springs for the Georgetown-to-Idaho Springs Half Marathon tomorrow.  It’s only a 45 minute drive and I could go Saturday morning but this is the last chance to do something before school starts so I’m taking Karen and Ellie to the Indian Hot Springs “Healing Waters” Spa.  They have a pretty cool pool that Ellie should enjoy.

I could even schedule a rub down at the spa for after the half marathon but I won’t.  I will jump into their hot springs-fed pool though.  I don’t go in for the healing properties of whatever minerals their water contains.  A month ago in Pagosa Springs I soaked almost nightly and they also pitched the healing properties of all their minerals.  Actually, they detailed the specific properties of each mineral.  I found it fairly funny because I think it’s bullshit.  I do think the heat is wonderful.  Maybe the minerals can affect your skin.  Likely do as much harm as healing depending on one’s specific allergies.  I’ll take a bath for the healing properties of the heat.

Regarding healing, on Wednesday I had my first physical in over ten years.  I’m in good shape overall but the experience itself left me feeling somewhat older just for needing some of the cancer-screening procedures.  The only malady I related to the good doctor was that it’s been several years now that I’ve been able to piss like a man.  I know I’m not alone on this one.  In my last poker game nearly every guy in the room, and they are all ten years younger than me, was taking some form of Flowmax.  They also all reported it worked for them so I brought it up as a concern.

man pee on toiletI hate admitting to vanity but having to get up in the middle of the night to pee – shoot more like dribble – makes me feel old and it bugs me.  In every other manner, from physical vitality to maturity, I feel as young as I did in college.  Actually maybe high school because my maturity regressed a bit in college.

So now I am taking my very first pills.  I don’t know if that makes me unusual for a middle aged American but outside of over-the-counter Claritin or Zyrtec for allergies, I never take pills.  Every few years I throw away a bottle of expired vitamins I intended to take.  I had some pain pills after a car accident in high school and again for a sports injury in college, otherwise I’ve never had strong prescriptions for pain in over 25 years.  I have a heart condition called tachycardia arrhythmia but have never needed anything for it.  And based on this physical, it may have finally cured itself.  I might need more of a detailed cardiology exam to know that for sure but the symptoms were not apparent on my EKG.

Back to point, having my first regular pills sort of makes me feel old too, but I’m good with it.  After one night, I already feel better.  A bottle of 30 Tamsulosin capsules set me back $1.98.  I don’t care for the notion that thirty years in the future I’ll likely have a collection of pills, but I’m pragmatic and expect that to be the case.  Better living through chemistry.  I have two bottles presently of vitamins from Hammer Nutrition that I’m doing my best to remember to take each day in order to recover from my running regimen.  Honestly, I’m one of the few people on the planet who will admit to being a proponent of GMOs.  Being lactose intolerant does little to promote the value of real food to me over genetically engineered.  If the minerals in those Indian Hot Springs do actually have medicinal qualities, I’m all for it.

Snake Oil

30 Sunday Jun 2013

Posted by in Running

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hammer-nutrition-logoI teased Keith after a run the other day that his breakfast waffle gave him an advantage over me on our return.  Later his wife Susan challenged me on my seemingly cavalier nutritional preparedness on runs – particularly in races.  I don’t deny some of my poor performances are due to nutritional imbalances.  I’m not sure why I haven’t focused on this more.  Actually I have at times but I have yet to develop any consistency or discipline with it.  I intend to give it more focus going forward.  Like the focus I gave to developing speed this spring, now is the time to turn my attention to hydration, supplements and electrolytes.

Part of my resistance to this stems from my fundamental belief that people should simply eat real food.  Vitamins should not be necessary if one eats a balanced diet.  I do buy vitamins occasionally but I never take them.  I throw them away a few years after their expiration date.  Yet I do understand vitamins might have a place in the diet depending on other medical or nutritional factors.  But it’s not something I have any real knowledge in.  Then another reason I don’t go in for supplements is that I can’t help but get the feeling they are modern day snake oil.  I understand approximately half of all Americans take vitamins or supplements, and that it’s a $27B industry.  Still, you have to admit some of the advertising is over the top.

Regardless, I’m committing to a supplements plan.  I like plans in general and it’s now time to focus on running nutrition.  To keep it simple, I have selected Hammer Nutrition for all my products.  I forget where I read this, but I was drawn to their web site for their electrolyte products.  I ordered their Endurolytes which come in a pill form factor.  They sent me samples of all their products along with significant reading material.  This was smart marketing.

Whenever I buy stuff like this online, I’m reminded of ordering kitschy toys with saved up bubble gum wrappers as a kid.  I’m going to try and take this seriously though and track my performance improvement.  My primary objective is to be able to avoid muscle cramps in marathons and other long events.  I actually find – weather depending – that I can run an entire half marathon without taking any drink or fuels at the aid stations and not suffer any negative effects on performance.  There is something though about running over two hours where my body becomes depleted and replenishment is necessary to avoid bonking.

Hammer makes a point that it is unwise to try to replenish water and electrolytes at the rate they are depleted.  They suggest the body can only absorb new fuel at about 30% of the rate it burns energy.  I’m going to trust them and follow their plan.  I don’t have very many events to test this but I started yesterday on their products as part of my training run.  Felt good.  If this focus on nutrition goes well for me, maybe I’ll start stretching for my next plan.