2015 Ironman Boulder on the horizon : thoughts : @AsicsAmerica updates #GelQuantum360

I'm down, but not out.

Plantar Fasciitis... I have it going wild and it sucks.  It started right as we left for vacation after a long run and has been bugging me ever since.

What I have I been doing to get rid of or minimize it before IM Boulder in 1.5 weeks?

Of course I ran on it a few times before realizing I was causing more issues and making it a lot worse.  Stubborn.  Bull headed.  Whatever.  I tried some trusted shoe models.  Stretched more diligently before runs, but ultimately it's a factor of not running to heal.  I've done some damage from not dedicating enough time to warm ups, using improper shoes and using shoes with too many miles.  There's a laundry list of factors, and I'm addressing them in the weeks leading up to Boulder.

For the past 2.5 weeks, and the week leading up to Boulder, it's elliptical only.  It's not the same, but it's the closest to running I can get without pain.  I couldn't even pool run.  Just pushing off irritated the PF.

Aleve has been my friend.  Large dose in the morning, very small dose before bed to get some good sleep.  As time has passed, the pain has subsided to non-existent for normal daily activities.  I'm reducing pain meds to minimum as possible in order to get maximum benefit on race day.  Yes, Aleve will be in my transition and special needs bags!

Straussburg sock at night before bed.  I cannot wear those things at night when sleeping as it wakes me up, but I try to hang my feet off the bed to not put them in position that shortens the achilles and promotes improper healing.  I can wear it for the few minutes between putting the kids down and going to sleep.

Proper warm ups and cool downs.  Warm up gently, dynamic stretching and then go after the workout.  After the workout, ample time stretching statically and getting some length back in the calf and achilles.  I have been better about doing this as opposed to not at all in the past, but it's been too short of time and not warmed up gently enough.  I'm getting old...

Massage.  My dude Kent at Thoroughly Kneaded Muscle Therapy has beat me up.  He's brutally attacked the heel and calf to get recovery stimulated and have the healing align with the tendons and not criss-cross which makes for a weaker structure.  Look it up.  ART is not hot air.  It's real and if you keep injury a certain body part, this could be key to get it to heal effective and be stronger in the long run.

I've messed around with shoe inserts and they just aren't doing it.  I figure if it hurts my feet just walking around, it's probably not helping.  I've been blessed with a blitz of ASICS shoes to try and while I have my staples, I might have used the new models a little too overzealously in my training runs.  Traditionally I go with the Gel 1100 series, GT 1000 or 2000 series or the Tri Noosa's.  Sadly I'm out of 1100's and GT's.  I don't have enough time to break a pair in with elliptical runs, so I needed an option I have already broken in.  That left me with the Gel Kayano 21's, Tri Noosa 8's and the Gel Quantum 360's.  Unfortunately the Kayano's weren't feeling good with the PF and the Noosa's are too rigid in the heel for the PF.  BUT, the new Quantum 360's are EXCELLENT!  They feel great just wearing for every day and for elliptical work.  Since I have had them for a few weeks and wearing them, I feel comfortable they are worn in enough to tackle IM Boulder.

So that's the plan.  Hit the bike and swim hard, run on elliptical only til race day, pain management meds full force for the race and a lot of prayer and rest and recovery / therapy.  I'm crossing my fingers that I have enough miles in the bank to get me to the finish line and enough Aleve to get me through the run.  ;)

Garmin Vector Pedal based Power Meter Rebate before they sell out!

If you're into power meters and cycling, this is your chance to get in for an affordable price.

I've not dove into the power meter market other than the CycleOps PowerCal that's a poor man's power meter measured from heart rate.

But, I've been dieing to get into the pedal based meters like the Garmin Vector.  Well, the original Vector system is going off market since Vector 2 came out and Garmin is offering rebates to get rid of all Vector original stock.

So, follow the LINK here for the rebate form and check out Clever Training for great deals!

Garmin Vector S Pedal Set Single Sided Large 15-18T and less than 44W

Purchase a qualifying Garmin Vector or Vector S from May 1st, 2015 through July 31st, 2015 and receive either a $150 or $300 USD via mail-in rebate. Rebate submissions must be postmarked by August 31st, 2015. Limit two rebate submissions per customer. The product must be purchased in factory-new condition.

They are also sporting 20% of CycleOps trainers!  Get in while the getting is good before next winter for those indoor rides.

Cycleops Fluid2

ENJOY!

ASICS 33-M Running Shoe from CitySports.com Review

There’s so many ways to go when runners and triathletes are looking for shoes. We’ve tested several makes and models for which many manufacturers produce to address every category dreamt up, and some that have never been thought of until the shoe was made. Not all shoes are the same across a genre, and not all athletes can use just any shoe. Many learn painful lessons that just because a shoe is the latest and greatest and has the highest price tag, it doesn’t mean that’s the magic shoe to end all foot pain and running issues.

CitySports.com reached out to us to review their latest “natural” ASICS running shoe, the 33-M. The 33-M is built for the natural running experience to lessen interference from the shoe to the body’s running form, assuming it’s a normal pronation and doesn’t need any work per say. With our test pair, we logged nearly 100 miles over six weeks and you can read on for our take from an everyday age grouper on how the 33-M stacks up in the real world.

SPECS

• The 33-M sports the following tech details:
• 4mm Platform / Drop
• Solyte Midsole with Amplifoam Layer
• Comfordry Sockliner
• Seamless Upper Construction
• Natural Running Experience / Under and Neutral Pronation
• Natural 33 - Heel Fit & Toe Box
• 10.9 oz
• Heel Height : 24 mm
• Forefoot Height : 20 mm
• Durasponge Outsole

 

 

APPEARANCE

At initial glance, the one stand out feature is the actual sole thickness at the rear supporting the 4mm platform drop. If you’re looking to squeeze in a few inches on your online dating profile, the 33-M is your shoe. You might feel as if the ground is a little further away with these bad boys, and you wouldn’t be far from the truth.

Aside from the robust soles, the ASICS 33-M’s we tested were the White / Flash Yellow / Navy style. There are other colors out there, however it appeared that City Sports carried this style in particular. The white is sharp and eye catching to say the least. We immediately got comments on how attractive and appealing the 33-M’s were. One drawback on the white is how fast they will attract dirt and smudges. Naturally if you run outside, you might run into some dirt, water or mud. With a white pair of shoes, it’s going to happen. If you are worried about keeping your shoe investments as pristine as possible, one option would be to limit usage to indoors on treadmills. Lets be honest, shoes are meant to run in and they will get dirty. Accept it. Even after 100 miles of street, track and treadmill running, our white 33-M’s were not any dirtier than other white running shoes.

The overall construction of the shoe is cohesive and doesn’t suffer when you enter the larger sizes. You big foots out there know what we mean when you order that awesome looking pair of shoes online only to get them and have them look distorted when in larger sizes than the nice pictures online. The 33-M’s don’t look odd in the larger sizes.

 

PERFORMANCE

If a running shoe doesn’t perform the function is was designed and purchased for, then that was a waste of money, right?

In our 100ish miles of testing, we ventured runs on streets, sidewalks, treadmills, long runs, tempo runs, easy runs, interval runs, brick runs and dog walking. We even ran in the rain with our 33-M’s and lived to tell the tale. We also stuffed the 33-M’s in duffle bags for travel and crammed them into airplane overhead bins. You know a shoe is resilient when it rebounds to it’s original shape after 10+ hours being in luggage.

Thoughts of note:

• Sole degradation was minimal. Wear and tear on the sole and stitching was not an issue as not one seam had popped or piece of rubber had peeled.
• Being designed for under or neutral pronators, the 33-M’s are aimed at a specific running segment, which means they aren’t for everyone. If you overpronate and roll your feet too much, the 33-M’s might hurt you in the long run. We have a tendency for overpronation and after long runs, we would experience hot spots on the balls of the big toe and in the arch area. No blisters came of it, but we could tell it would be an issue if this was our full time shoe. But, this could also offer a “cross training” opportunity for non-under or neutral pronators to use a shoe that works muscle groups left unaddressed by stability or motion control shoes. In moderation and under controlled usage, varying shoe types could potentially be used to promote strengthening of weaker muscle groups and ligaments similar to trail running and other variations of running. It’s not something to switch to 80% of the time, but may be a good option for one or two shorter runs a week to work on stabilizer muscles.
• We are guilty of nasty heel striking. It’s just there after years of running and various PT sessions. We’ve coped with finding the right shoe combination and training regime that allows us to stay injury and pain free. One item of concern was the return of heel pain after using a non-stability shoe like the 33-M. We were pleasantly surprised that no heel pain was present after runs and non-existent the mornings after long runs, which was the worst times for heel pain. Also keep in mind that we did not switch to exclusive use of the 33-M’s, but rotated them in with our other trusted shoes.
• The 33-M’s actually felt heavier than our trusted styles, but at 10.9 ounces, they were right on target or actually lighter than other styles we use on a consistent basis. For some reason it was deceiving while wearing the 33-M’s, and we don’t really have an explanation.

 

CITYSPORTS.COM EXPERIENCE

We would be remiss if we didn’t give some review love to the store that set us up with our test shoes. CitySports.com is an actual brick and mortar store in Boston that has developed into an online entity selling quality apparel. They shipped the ASICS 33-M’s free of charge (normally $6 for standard ground) and from order confirmation to shoes at our door, it was around 3 days to get our kicks. The box comes wrapped in plastic to protect is from the elements and comes with a printed receipt in the need of returning the shoes. They offer a 30 day refund policy for online buying as long as you meet their conditions for a return.

 

 

COST

The 33-M’s don’t come free. Depending on the source, the 33-M’s run from $125 to $139.99 before tax and shipping. That’s a nice chunk of change, but when you’re buying the latest and greatest in running tech, you’re paying for what you get.

 

SUMMARY

Overall the 33-M’s appear to be a solid shoe. They are reliable and have been built to withstand some serious punishment.

They are geared to a specific market. The natural running experience is their target, and that may not work for everyone. It’s not to say the 33-M’s wouldn’t serve a purpose, but it’s a large price tag to add a part time runner to your closet. But, ASICS and CitySports.com have several options to address your needs. We just reviewed one of them.

Will we continue to run with our 33-M’s? Yes. They offer the ability to target weaker running muscles groups, therefore proving useful in the war on triathlon. They may not serve as everyday race flats, but they made the rotation.

Would we continue to buy more 33-M’s after our test pair gets retired? Probably not. It’s not a knock on the shoe, but a testament that needs of runners are very unique to the individuals and not just any shoe will fill that need.

We would definitely recommend checking out CitySports.com for future purchases. They have been very reactive to our questions and concerns and seem to care about online customers. They want you happy with what you buy from them. The order process is smooth and it’s not a fly by night operation that may go offline at any time.

For those that made it this far in the review, reward yourself with 20% off the ASICS 33-M with code “TRI20” at CitySports.com.

* Writer's note - City Sports provided the products for this review at no cost and did not influence this review.

Review of @ClifBar Builder's Protein Bars

If you pay attention to your Facebook or Twitter feed, you undoubtedly see all kinds of add and posts about the need for high levels of protein in your diet. Whether you’re a weekend 5ker, Ironman, cross fitter or obstacle course racer, every fitness related food maker and their dog are racing to get their latest and greatest protein products in your hands. If you’re at all interested in eating better to go along with all those hours you swim, bike and run, then you have probably realized the importance of eating the right combination of fats, carbs and protein. It’s not just about the protein. It’s a delicate dance of factors from desired weight to expected race performance. If you’re not fueling the engine right with more than just protein, it doesn’t matter how many hours you train to reach your goals.

No doubt you also like to enjoy your snacks rather than just get the essential nutrition out of them, unless you’ve really bought into paleo and want to eat like a caveman. What can make the task of proper fueling even more difficult is the specter of the average triathlete being on the go with work, family and friends. Not everyone has easy access to a kitchen with whole food ingredients at their fingertips for every meal. Most need a convenient meal on the go that won’t make a mess that they can jam in their face between meetings in the morning or afternoon.

CLIF bar was gracious enough to send a sample of Builder’s Protein Bars for a review as an alternative for easy access to good fuel with a handsome dose of protein.

Read on for our take on the 8 flavors minus the new chocolate hazelnut of Builder’s Bars that CLIF sent us.

 

Packaging / Shelf Appeal / Marketing

When you hear the name, “Builder’s Bar”, we immediately think of that body builder dude pumping iron at the gym, screaming at the top of his lungs for that last set of 300 pound bench presses. So yes, the bar might be geared for muscle heads looking for protein substitute instead of raw meat, but for triathletes spending some hard time working out at high intensity levels, they need that protein as well to repair and feed muscles. When you see the bars, they are packaged in a powerful wrapper that’s bold and attention grabbing, like the name. Who doesn’t like something shiny to unwrap? It’s also convenient to throw in a gym bag or the glove box (careful as they will melt on hot days) and not lose track of. The package won’t tear or snag as it’s sturdy construction.

 

Form / Construction

When you open the Builder’s Bar, the majority are chocolate flavors, so they appear similar to your standard candy bar with a chocolate coating and a crunchy bottom layer. For those that like the crunchy candy bars, it won’t be far off. They are not the other protein bars that are solid and chewy that sometimes can get gritty as you break them down to be able to swallow.

The Builder’s Bars weigh in at 270 calories or so per bar. Of that, 9 grams is fat, 29 grams is carbs and 20 grams is protein if you are keeping count at home. So, don’t just add the Builder’s Bar into your daily diet without planning. It’s almost half a decent sized meal to begin with. It has a good protein to carb ratio, but it will steal some calories from your daily meal planning. That may almost be more than most candy bars calorie wise, but you will get around 40 grams of carbs and 4 grams of protein from a candy bar which is hardly the proper nutrition for an athlete or fitness minded person.

An important item of note is that the bars have zero grams trans fat and does not contain partially-hydrogenated oils or high fructose corn syrup. In today’s ever over engineered food work where taste and profit are king, some are still finding ways to deliver good food without all the crap.

Fit / Function

Yes, they have a good chunk of protein, but do they deliver on taste and fill you up / fuel you up / help you recover like you would anticipate?

With protein bars, taste and texture are the big hangups. Everyone wants the benefits of the protein, but not everyone appreciates the method of delivery. While Builder’s Bars aren’t going to be as tasty as a Snickers bar, they are much better than some chewy protein bars on the market that get all grainy after chewing on each bite for 5 minutes to break it down enough to swallow. They taste like the flavor printed on the package and have a nice crisp texture that doesn’t require jaws of steel. The real issue is limiting yourself to one bar and not using them as a go-to snack substitute or dessert item.

They do fill you up for the short term, which makes them a great snack item between meals. Used before a cardio workout or after a strength workout, they can be key meals to keep your body fueled and reduce injuries from undernourished muscles. We would not recommend the Builder’s Bars as a meal substitute unless you are in a bind. They just won’t fill you up for hours on end.

They have 9 flavors currently to choose from, so if chocolate isn’t your thing, you have options. They are great for throwing in your gym bag for a pre or post workout snack and they even stay in one piece in bags being thrown into your car or jammed in a gym locker. They only drawback will be on hot days, they will melt and make a mess. Best is to not leave them sitting in your car during the summer.

 

Cost

You could spend $1 for a snickers, or $1.50 (online) for a Builder’s Bar. At the convenience store, you might pay a little more if you’re in a pinch, but plan ahead and you should be ok. That’s one catch with Builder’s Bars, they aren’t cheap, but they can be less expensive than other protein bar alternatives. Some can go from $2 to $2.50 a bar online, and even more in the brick and mortar stores.

You do get what you pay for. You may end up spending more for a Builder’s Bar than a candy bar, but you’ll get higher quality nutrition and not a crap sugar load.

Final thoughts

You know you have a winner when you review a product and you end up buying it outside of the review with your own money. We have since stocked up on Builder’s Bars to be proactive and get them at a reasonable price instead of convenience store prices. One a day will do it, as they do consume a large chunk of calories, but when you need 170 grams of protein a day, and you don’t want to get it all through egg whites and tuna fish, the Builder’s Bar is a good alternative. You just need to be careful about trading it out for other foods in your meal planning and not adding it on and expecting to lose weight.

Disclaimer

* Writer's note - CLIF Bars sent us the Builder’s Bars for this review and in no way influenced the review.

Hatfield Foot - Calf - Stretch Strap review

Planters fasciitis is an ugly word in the world of triathlon. When you're out there pounding the pavement for hours on end during training and running anywhere from 3 miles to 26.2 miles on race day, you're bound to experience it in some form. Some people live with it day in and day out while others might see a flare up on occasion.

Regardless of how often and the severity you have or will experience it, it's a pain in the ass... or rather the foot.

Doctors and physical therapists will recommend anything from proper stretching to ART therapy to relieve the aches and pains, because as we all know, no triathlete worth their salt is going to lay off the training for things to heal up. You might have also seen the sleeping socks that pull the toes up with a strap connecting at the shin or other imaginative solutions. Any way you slice it, there are a lot of opinions on how to mitigate the effects of PF.

Why are we discussing this today you may wonder? Well, the inventors of the Hatfield Strap (http://hatfieldstrap.com/) reached out to us to test out their calf stretching product. We have had our fair share of PF issues and could certainly extend ourselves to test out their torture device. Read on for a look at our thoughts about the Hatfield Strap.

Packaging / Shelf Appeal / Marketing

The box is professional and sharp in appearance, definitely not something someone put together in their garage. You open it up to find your Hatfield Strap with sewn in handles and a shoulder extension strap for any more variation when using. You will as also find some limited instructions with pictures to illustrate how to use the strap. What's also a nice side benefit is the box not being totally destroyed in the process of extracting it for use. Makes for convenient storage later.

Form / Construction / Fashion

When you examine the strap, it's made of sturdy nylon similar to what you would find for construction safety harnesses for workers in high risk areas. It's pretty obvious that's their nothing you can do with your bare hands to break the strap. The seams are hardcore stitching that could probably support the weight of a truck. Rest assured you're not going to anything under your own strength to tear this strap apart.

It's a unique design that allows adaptation for several body shapes and sizes. There might be a few body types that might not fit, but 98% of us triathletes will fit. The adjustable clips can be tightened down to hug the upper calf below the knee for a snug, but not painful fit. They thought of pretty much everything down to the soft pads built into the back of the leg straps so the plastic clasps don't cut unto your skin.

Fit / Function

At first, it's an art form and delicate dance to balance your foot on the strap and find the right position to apply pull force without your foot slipping out. You can't jam your foot in a hurry and hope it works right. That being said, once your foot is positioned correctly, then you can apply as much force as reasonably possible to get a sufficient stretch. The handles are large and provide ample grip to pull with effort and not having to worry about them slipping out of your hands.

The only notable issue we had was with the adjustable straps on the upper calf. We had to pretty much cinch them all the way to get a secure grip to pull against. Even with fully cinched straps, it would slowly slide down our leg if you didn't compensate for it by adjusting leg position or force pulling on the handles. The Hatfield Strap does come in multiple sizes, so make to make a proper selection that will ensure the best fit.

But, we still got ample force to get a good stretch on the calf, relieving some of the achy PF soreness before and after our Ironman Texas attempt and Ironman 70.3 Kansas race. We used the Hatfield strap for a couple of weeks and we noticed an immediate difference. The impact of the effectiveness came in the morning as a lot of PF sufferers will attest to that being the most painful times. After using the strap the night before, we experienced around a 50% decrease in morning heel pain and stiffness. Isn't nice to get to the potty for that morning pee without hobbling and pain? We thought so.

We did experience the same level of issues if we did not use the Hatfield strap. To put it into simple terms, if you don't use it you lose it. We found that if use is discontinued, the relief went away as well. The strap is not a cure for the root issue be it an injury, bad running form, worn out or ill fitting shoes or something else, we found. It gives you relief, but only if used on a consistent basis.

Cost

Now, would we have sought out the Hatfield strap on our own? Perhaps. We have bought several products for PF relief in the past and spent time in a PT office, so the drive to spend money in this area is there. The Hatfield comes in at $35 to $90 depending on style and accessories. In reality, that’s not all that bad for the durability and quality that you get. $77 would get you the calf strap and shoulder strap we tested out. You could pay at least that for most stretching and pain relief apparatuses anywhere.

You will be limited on options where to buy the strap as they are only sold on their website at the moment.

Final thoughts

When the dust settles, the Hatfield Strap is worth your consideration when it comes to PF relief or getting the most out of your calf stretching. Sufferers of achilles strain would also appreciate the effectiveness of the Hatfield Strap. The price might be a bit extreme (based on your perspective) based on all of the options you want, but you could end up with a great passive stretching (using the shoulder strap) that you could use while recovering with a good book, watching tv or writing product reviews. You'll also receive comfort in knowing the strap will outlive your racing days as the quality construction is first rate.

Disclaimer

Writer’s Note – Hatfield Strap sent us samples for this review and in no way influenced the review.

Xterra wetsuit sale - $119 Use code "C-STPM" and 7 percent goes to Tri4aHandUp.com

Our great www.Tri4aHandUp.com partner, Xterra wetsuits, is having a sale!

Get wetsuits starting at $119 for the weekend of the 4th of July.

Use code "C-STPM" at checkout to get the sale price.

Check out the deals below and hit www.xterrawetsuits.com and use code "C-STPM" at checkout to get the best price!  Also remember that Xterra will donate 7 percent of all sales with the code to Tri4aHandUp charities!  We don't keep a dime!

Thanks for the support!

Xterra wetsuit sale on the Vector Pro Blaze wetsuit #Triathlon #wetsuits #Tri4aHandUp

Our great www.Tri4aHandUp.com partner, Xterra wetsuits, is having a sale on limited edition wetsuit coming this summer: Vector Pro Blaze. The Vector Pro Blaze is being offered for $369. These are Limited Edition with only 500 being produced, so order yours by May 20th. Use code "C-STPM" at checkout. Wetsuits will ship by August 1st, and come with a FREE Vector Pro Orange Trucker Cap!

Check out the deals below and hit www.xterrawetsuits.com and use code "C-STPM" at checkout to get the best price!

Thanks for the support!

Power Crunch energy bar review and Raffle! #Triathlon #charity #CHDawareness

All triathletes have been put on the spot before or after a workout looking for the right fuel or recovery snack. We might even be pressed to find something in a pinch to gobble down for in-workout fueling for long days. We don’t always have the luxury of being at home to raid the pantry or time to cook something up for a proper workout snack, be it before, during or after the workout. Heck, it doesn’t even have to be a workout day and you might find yourself with an angry gut wanting sustenance but you don’t want to raid the candy machine for crap food.

What’s a health conscious endurance athlete to do for those healthy on the go snacks? There’s a LOT of choices out there. ClIF bars, Kind bars, Picky bars and so many others you can’t count them on all of your fingers and toes. Beware that while some bars contain natural and healthy ingredients, moderation is key. If you’re snack bar is 700 calories and you’re wanting to maintain “race weight”, it may not be the best option for your 10am snack, or you will have to raid calories in other meals to balance your daily intake.

And what about protein? Exactly, what about it? Paleo, South Beach, Shakeology and so many other plans out there thrown into the faces of health minded triathletes. What you will find with most bars labeled protein is a high carb count to go with that. You have to be very careful of what you’re eating as there are very few products that come with high protein and few carbs.

In our eternal quest for the perfect protein bar we found Power Crunch. Well, rather they found us and offered an assortment of Power Crunch energy bars to try out for a review. After eating our fair share (all of them they sent us), we have a few thoughts we’d like to share.


Packaging / Shelf Appeal / Marketing

Power Crunch has come out in a big way. They are pretty much a staple at any gym snack bar and can be found in most food chain stores. Health stores, gas stations and more all carry Power Crunch.

The wrappers are clean and appealing. They catch your eye, but aren’t obnoxious. One wish list would be something more eco-friendly than the standard foil wrappers, but that’s splitting hairs. The other catch is you may not find the flavor you are looking for as shelf space might be limited.

Form / Construction

When you open your Power Crunch, it’s a wafer based bar. It was actually refreshing to find a self proclaimed energy bar that wasn’t the consistency of a fudge bar. So many energy bars are dense and gritty and Power Crunch is not. It’s reminiscent of the vanilla wafer days as a kid, but a little healthier.

Sorry those that are lactose intolerant or allergic to peanuts. Most bars have both of those ingredients but some are gluten free, if you’re looking for that. If you’re into the science, you can read up on the ingredients of each bar to find one that’s right for you and read up on Power Crunch’s unique form of protein called “hydrolyzed whey protein.” We won’t dive into that here, but what we will draw attention to is the ratio of protein to carbs per bar and what the calorie content is.

We are always looking for low calories, high protein options for our endurance lifestyle and were very excited to see that Power Crunch in general carries 14/8 protein to carb ratio around 200 calories. Competitors can get to 22/30 ratio with 270 calories with 80 calories from fat. Do notice though that around 115 calories are from fat for Power Crunch depending on the type of bar. They are using stevia leaf extract for sweetening, but still carry a decent amount of fat content which could be a good fuel source to train your body to work from on long distance training. It all depend on your take of training and fueling methodologies.

Fashion / Appearance

Power Crunch bars are appealing. You open up the wrapper and find a delicious looking wafer bar either with either a small coating or completely covered bar of “glaze”. They look like they were made by someone who knows what they are doing and not someone in a garage with a chemistry set. When you open one up, you actually want to eat it.

Fit / Function

So how does it do as a daily snack or workout fuel source? We tried it all. It was a daily snack in the morning or afternoons. It was a pre-workout snack. It was a during-workout fuel source. It was a post-workout on the go snack. Power Crunch bars were super handy when you have a busy day of the “day job”, kids, family and trying to jam in training somewhere.

It was extremely filling, but if you’re on the go working out, you may not want that. It was light, but provided enough to satisfy the snack cravings during the day (we subscribe to 3 meals and 2 snacks per day).

All of the flavors were pretty good. The best were Cookies and Cream and Peanut Butter crunch. We weren't huge fans of the mint chocolate, but someone out there may dig it. There’s something for everyone with 13 energy bar options.

The biggest highlight was eating an energy bar and not having the fudgy texture without the fudge taste. Some competitor bars are akin to eating cardboard with grit. Have you ever eaten an energy bar that seemed like someone took some sand and added dough to it? Not Power Crunch. That wafer snack you loved as a kid is back, and it’s healthy! Our kids even loved them (but keep your hands off daddy’s workout snacks!). Overall we found Power Crunch to be satisfying as far as taste, texture, filling and supplying functional energy.

Cost

For a box of 12 bars, you will pay $24.99 from Power Crunch directly, plus shipping. Now, you didn’t read this here, but savvy internet shoppers can find it perhaps $10 less on other locations. You can also find them in local stores and forgo shipping as well.

Using the savvy internet shopping route, energy bars in the relative same market space go about equal for a count of 12 such as Power Crunch. So, really you won’t pay any extra for Power crunch over the competitors. What you pay for is an alternative to the dense energy bars with high protein to carb ratios.

Final thoughts

Flat out we loved Power Crunch. Maybe not all flavors, but we found a good 10 flavors that we could stock our pantry with and enjoy for years on end. They offer a wide variety and the wafer model is so much more appealing than the fudge density bars that are out there. Cost wise you really are not paying a premium to use Power Crunch over competitors, so it really only comes down to how you want your energy delivered.

Disclaimer

Writer’s Note – Power Crunch sent us samples for this review and in no way influenced the review.


AND NOW FOR THE RAFFLE!

It's time... time to give some stuff away!

So those that have followed this blog, you have noticed I do a fair share of product reviews.  Some are great, some are good, some are so-so and some don't happen since the product didn't work out for one reason or another.

Well, those people that have sent me the products are on board with helping me reach my fundraising goals for Ironman Texas ($1500 goal), Ironman 70.3 ($600 goal) Kansas and Ironman Chattanooga ($5000 goal).   It's coming along, but we need more!  This is all a part of my master www.Tri4aHandUp.com fundraising scheme for 2014.

I have a shelf in the basement full of stuff to give away to my readers, followers, fans and supporters.  I'm taking a huge leap of faith setting up online raffles will result in contributions and not be a bust for the great people that sent me products.

How do you get in?

Each giveaway entry is counted by a contribution to one of the fundraising pages.  Each giveaway will have a unique amount to donate so I can keep track of what's an entry and what's a regular donation.  I get emails from each page when someone contributes, so they all get counted.  You can enter as many times as you want.

You can contribute to either page:
http://www.active.com/donate/kickstartyourheart/T4AHUIMTX
https://fundrazr.com/campaigns/6b2s7/ab/61quY2

How do you win?

I will number each entry and hit random.org to randomly generate a winner. I will keep generating numbers until someone gets 3 hits and then they win!

How do you get your prize?

Pay attention to this blog and the Facebook page - https://www.facebook.com/Tri4aHandUp.  Winners will be announced and I will have you email me your address for shipping.

Who is eligible?

Anyone in North America.  No overseas shipping UNLESS you are in the armed services and you have a North American shipping address that ships items to you.

What's up for grabs this week?

Power Crunch Peanut Butter Fudge Box of 12 bars.

Check out my reviews:
EverymanTri.com
I Tri Because I Can
Examiner.com

In recognition of Ironman Texas being my second full Ironman triathlon, entry will be $2.00 at either site.  Enter as many times as you want!  Entry closes 11:59pm central time on Saturday, May 3.

You can contribute to either page:
http://www.active.com/donate/kickstartyourheart/T4AHUIMTX
https://fundrazr.com/campaigns/6b2s7/ab/61quY2