When I was training for my first marathon in 2006, there weren’t a lot of electrolyte choices. Over the years, I’ve watched the stores and races offer more and more options, and now it’s gotten a bit overwhelming. Where do you begin? I’ve gotten older in those 18 years, and I find my stomach tolerates things less and less. Many of the gels, chews, and drinks with electrolytes in them don’t agree so well with my system any more for long runs. Thankfully, I discovered Tailwind Nutrition a couple years ago, just as I was delving into 50k races in my 40’s .
Tailwind is the ultimate multi-tasker. “All you need, all day. Really.” You get energy, electrolytes, and hydration all in one convenient place. Toss a scoop into your water and you’re all ready to go. Simple. This fact alone sold me, but there were three other things about Tailwind that kept me coming back.
#1 No stomach issues. What initially appealed to me about Tailwind was the “no gut bombs” claim. Tailwind’s formula matches what your gut is designed to absorb, so it’s not going to kill your stomach like so many other options out there. The ingredients are all natural and organic, it’s gluten free, vegan, and there’s no soy or dairy. For “on the go” nutrition, it’s pretty solid.
#2 Tailwind was made by runners. I love running products that are designed by runners, because no one knows better than those in the trenches. One such runner found himself puking in a garbage can at the Leadville 100 and he knew there had to be a better way. So he started boning up on sports nutrition and how the body processes fuel and developed batches of powder to test on himself and his friends until he got the magic formula that became Tailwind. What’s awesome is that Tailwind hasn’t changed much since their first year and it’s still made in their community of Colorado. All the employees take their turns in the shipping department so that they can throw a handwritten note of thanks in each box, and the customer’s name is written on their Tailwind bag. Those personal touches speak volumes about the company and their mission.
#3 Tailwind actually tastes good. All of the above sounds good and all, but nothing else matters if you can’t actually stomach the product. The mild taste of Tailwind is the final reason why I knew my search for the right sports nutrition was complete. It’s not overly sweet, and there is even a plain flavor available if you don’t really want to taste anything. You can take 100 calorie scoops or more or less, and can adjust it to what you think your body needs. I tend to take the “less is more” approach with it because I don’t feel like I need a ton of it. However, I was recently given the new caffeinated cola flavor to test and I was game for it. I knew Tailwind would get it right, and they’ve yet to let me down.
To be honest, I didn’t think I would like a cola-flavored drink. It didn’t sound appealing to me, even though I enjoy a cola drink itself at times when I’m sweating hard. But like other Tailwind flavors, it was not an overpowering experience. It tasted a little like cola, but not enough to distract me from the task at hand, which was running 18 miles the day I tried it. I found that I liked it. And, as suspected, it carried me through the run just fine.
Caffeinated Tailwind is the same as other flavors of Tailwind in it’s goal to energize you throughout your run, but there is an added 35mg of caffeine for every 100 calorie scoop. This gives me a small boost right when I need it. Like other flavors, it dissolves easily in water and doesn’t leave behind any film or aftertaste.
You can buy Tailwind in stick pack bundles or in a large bag. I like to have both available to me and it lasts a long time. I love that it’s totally customizable since we all have different preferences on how much product should go in our water bottles for a run.
If you still haven’t tried Tailwind, I encourage you to do so. I now have a new flavor to add to my arsenal.
Company:
Tailwind Nutrition – Find them on Facebook here
Products & Price:
Caffeinated Endurance Fuel 48 oz/50 servings ($38.99)
Specs (from website):
- Caffeine boost when you need that extra kick
- Complete calories, electrolytes, and hydration: Ditch the gels, chews, and pills, and go all day with just Tailwind.
- No gut bombs: Stomach problems? You’ll love Tailwind. Unless you enjoy being doubled over, retching.
- Tasty all day: Clean, light flavors taste better the longer you go.
- Hydration pack love: Dissolves on contact with water and cleans up with a quick rinse. No film, aftertaste or science experiments!
- All natural: Crystal clear with no dyes, preservatives or 4-syllable magical ingredients.
More about Tailwind Nutrition
ALL YOU NEED, ALL DAY. REALLY.
I created Tailwind for racing the Leadville 100. It’s designed to overcome the nutrition problems faced by endurance athletes in events like 50’s, 100’s, 24-hour, and multi-day epics. Tailwind combines complete fuel, hydration, and electrolytes in a tasty drink that won’t turn your stomach into a brick. Read on to learn how Tailwind helps athletes get endurance nutrition right.
Thank you to Tailwind Nutrition for providing us with a sample pack. Please read our transparency page for info on how we do our reviews.
