I mentioned in my Pacific Crest Half Ironman Race Report that I used Nutrition53’s Neuro1 as my pre-race drink. I had a great race, finishing 4th overall female and 1st amateur, and I definitely think the Neuro1 contributed to that result for at least 3 reasons.
1. The caffeine and mental energy ingredients helped get me going - I am not an early riser by nature so the early race mornings of triathlon can be a bit of a challenge. At Pacific Crest, I definitely perked up after I finished my Neuro1 but I didn’t feel like I had just downed a quadruple espresso with a bunch of sugar in it too. And for a half-iron distance race I wouldn’t want that at all! With Neuro1 I felt focussed and alert, but not jumpy.
2. Unlike coffee, Neuro1 has a lot of high-quality vitamins and antioxidants. Race conditions at Pacific Crest were tough, it was very hot and the course was challenging, yet my body held up great and I never once felt a muscle cramp - I think that getting a good dose of vitamins in the morning was really beneficial for me. I also was really vigilant about my hyration and electrolyte intake all day and the day prior, so I am not saying Neuro1 is a replacement for good race nutrition, but I do feel that its provision of nutrients is beneficial on race morning.
3. I was grateful that I could drink some of my calories and vitamins instead of just eating them. I often have to force myself to eat breakfast before a race, I don’t usually have much of an appetite even though I know I will need the fuel. Neuro1 gave me an extra 100 calories, and was a very handy way to make sure I got to the start line with a full tank rather than an empty one!
Finally, regarding consumption: Neuro1 tastes fairly strong, I assume it’s because the drink is packed with vitamins and nutrients. I started sipping my Neuro1 about 75 minutes before race start, giving myself 15 minutes to sip it and finishing 1 hour before the start. Unlike some other pre-race type products, the Neuro1 doesn’t affect me instantaneously, instead it takes around 30-45 minutes (hard to pinpoint because I am a “sipper” rather than a “guzzler”). Anyhow, I will follow this plan again for my next race because it worked great for me.
*ALSO* when you order online, if you enter the coupon code “Triathlete”, you will get 50% off your first order!
Comments
This entry was posted on Wednesday, July 2nd, 2008 at 12:34 pm and is filed under Neuro1, Nutrition53. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
Thanks, Court. I think I’m going to go pick up some of this stuff - looks really awesome and I could use all the extra help for Vineman I can get! Though…if the weather is like this (sunny but not hot)…I’d be so happy!
Great site and very helpful review. I wasn’t convinced about Neuro1 until I stopped taking it after using it for about a year; I immediately noticed a slight but significant dropoff in cognitive function. The only drawback for me is the high sugar content. I recently gave up sugar and I can definitely say it’s the best thing I’ve ever done for my health. On the other hand, all those vitamins in Neuro1 would probably taste like dog food with all that sugar.