The Fifth and Final Day of V

So as we conclude this years Festival of V

I take the last two flavors for a run...

I chose the Vanilla as the pre run snack because I wanted to know how the Fudge Brownie was on the run.  How would the chocolate taste on a hot day, warm, on a hot belly?  Let's find out!

I think in the breaking down of the peoples of the earth we might try to sort by race, creed, color, and religion.  But the easiest way the split the world into two groups is ice cream flavor.  There are only two main types of people in the known universe...

Those who like chocolate ice cream and those who like vanilla.  I do not like vanilla ice cream.  I'm team chocolate all the way!

I do apprecite the irony though that we colloquially refer to boring  normal things as vanilla, when it is one of the most complex and strong flavors.  But I'm still team chocolate 

But I will say that this vanilla was different.  It actually had an almost lime taste in the background.  Like really dilute Key lime pie.  So as far as vanillas go this is the best vanilla gel that I have ever had.   But that is like saying the best of the things I don't like... It was good and I would actually not mind eating it again.  

So like the package said I ran 45 minutes and ate another gel.   A Fudge Brownie gel...

So would it taste like this?

Hot runny chocolate gooey mess?  Or more like its namesake?

It was good.  More like chocolate fudge ice cream topping or icing.  So back to ironic flavoring decisions.  I love cholotate! But hot chocolate, as in eating chocolate on the while you are running stomach is not for me.  It is the only time I prefer vanilla.  Of course I could have chosen the chocolate first but I was hoping to find the cholate that was good on the run.  I guess it will just be a pre run snack...

Here are the final gel rankings!!!

The winner in first place...

Mountain Berry!

In second place...

Cool Citrus!

In third...

Vanilla!  (I know I was surprised too)

In fourth place...

Peach Cobbler!

In fifth place...

Fudge Brownie!!! Because I can eat it before I go.

And last but certainly not least...

Salted Caramel Apple!

Thanks again the Vfuel for catering this event!  Loved all the products (except maybe Ginger Twist...).  They really have mastered the ability to have their products taste fresh and made from real stuff with our being super sharp flavors that would not down well on a run.  

It's like pizza, I love pizza! I don't want to eat pizza on a hot day 2 hours into a run. That's the barf recipe...

Barf

1: Preheat stomach while running hard

2: Put pizza in the pie hole while running 

3: Let cook in stomach for about 8 minutes or 1 mile

4: Dish will automatically eject from "oven"

5;  Serve on ground for local dogs!

Sorry to end on a gross note...

Here are some more fake GU flavors I found

I hear the Soy is good for sodium replacement ;)

Again give Vfuel a try!  They are really the Chick Fil A of running gels. The one that tastes fresher and a little more natural.  Not as artificial.  

Thanks for reading...gotta run!

The Third Day of V

Happy V 3 everyone!  Take off your shirts and grab your tridents...

We start day three brought to by Vfuel an the number 3

Today's pairing is way too on the nose but we will see how it worked.

This run was fueled by Cool Lime

And Cool Citrus

So this seemed like the ultimate no brainer lime and citrus.  And Cool!  I'm not sure that is this kind of cool

Or this kind

Let's start with my pre run snack the Cool Citrus gel.

I don't know what I was expecting, mint? Lime? Lemonade? But what I got was some thing like this...

They should rename this gel Key Lime Pie.  The citrus notes are softened so it is not that sharp, tart, acidi taste.  The effect tasting very much like the cream and lime of Key Lime Pie.  Very nice...

Again time to let the belly cauldron heat up in the warm (sweltering) Carolina sun (sauna).  Once we reached our operational temperature it was time to try the liquid portion of our fueling 

I don't know what I was expecting 

But this about sums it up.  Limeade that doesn't make your teeth hurt and your face pucker.  It's like they used Nerf limes to make it.  All the flavor none of the bite and burn.  

This is probably the best pairing we will have all V Festival.  But how are the individual standing going?  

Gels:

1: Cool Citrus

2: Peach Cobbler

3: Salted Caramel Apple

Drinks:

1: Tangerine Cream

2: Cool Lime

3: Black Cherry Cola

Where will the remaining gels and drinks rank.  And what is up with the three legged thingy on the Isle of Man flag?

But for now I'm just going to chill and relax

Catch you on the flip side... Gotta run!

Grape Pomegranate Carb Boom!

So as this years 6 Days of Boom! comes to a close...

We reflect on the many gifts given to us this year...

Hang your Boom! grenade on your tree with care

Hang your stocking with don't give a $hit...

And participate in the running of the beers.

So the final gel in this review was the winner as predicted.  

Grape Pomegranate was delicious!  It was smooth and fresh tasting.  I could taste the grape skins almost.  The pomegranate was a light mellow tart aftertaste.  This is the perfect gel. I can't wait to try these out on a Charleston South Carolina summer run.  I can imagine these might even be freshing on a hot day. And no gel tastes good on a super hot summer day. 

The final rankings for this Celebration of Boom! 

1st. Grape pomegranate 

2nd Cinnamon apple

3rd  Strawberry kiwi

4th  Raspberry

5th  Orange vanilla

6th  Banana peach

So thanks for helping to celebrate the 6 Days of Boom!  

Special thanks to Boom Nutrition for providing the Feast

And thanks to everyone for reading!  Now remember to hang up your compression socks on the shower bar, leave a smelly running hat on the front door knob, and leave a running gel in your running shoes at the end of your bed for the boom fairy.  And if you have been a good runner all year then you will find a reward at the bottom of your next running bottle!

Happy Boom! to all and to all a... Gotta run!

Banana Peach Carb Boom!

On the fifth day of Boom! Carb boom gave to me... Bananas and Peaches?!?!?

So I was totally ready with a bunch of fruit porn jokes.

I mean come on... I have to censor these emojis.  

This is like a fruit orgy.

I have to admit to a bias here, I love bananas, but I hate really ripe bananas.  I'm more of the almost green banana kind if guy.  

This gel tastes almost exactly like smushed ripe bananas.  Sweet ripe bananas. If you love ripe bananas then this is a total treat.  It really tastes like a banana paste tube.  Fresh ripe bananas. That is what you get.  

Unfortunately... I really hate ripe bananas.  So this one just went to the bottom for me.  This is the dessert that your grandmother brought to the Boom! Festival that everyone likes but you.  I can appreciate how fresh and real it tastes it's just not a fresh taste I like.  

So the current race is looking like this...

Apple Cinnamon

Strawberry Kiwi

Raspberry 

Orange Vanilla

Banana Peach

So where will the fabled Grape Pomegranate wind up?  Tune in to find out, but for now... Gotta run!

Raspberry Carb Boom!

On the fourth day of Boom! Carb Boom! Gave to me... Raspberry!

So I reached into my compression sock that I had left hanging in the laundry room to air dry hoping that the Boom! Fairy had brought me another treat.  And what did I find...

This one was simple. As far as regular gels go, this one is great.  Simple flavor.  Not too sweet, not too tart.  But when judged against the high standards of Boom! it kind of falls flat.  

Not impressed, not let down.  Just par.  This is par gel.  This is the perfect generic gel.  

So the current ranking going into day 5...

Apple Cinnamon

Strawberry Kiwi

Raspberry

Orange Vanilla

Sorry orange...

Thanks for reading... Gotta run!

Cinnamon Apple Carb Boom!

On the third day of Boom! carb boom! gave to me, Apple and Cinnamon gel (not even going to attempt a rhyme).

Ok so I am having to rethink my evaluation of running gels after this season of Boom!  I have always judged running gels in the same way I judge cheap beers.  I'm looking for after taste and how it burps since the initial taste is only ok at best.  As long as it goes down well and stays down, I'm good.  

But now Carb Boom! is making me judge gels on a much higher level.  

Apple Cinnamon... I had very low expectations.  Usually a very generic combo.  Not this, it was more like someone had blended this...

And put it into this...

The cinnamon really was bright and fresh tasting.  The apple tasted like apple pie.  Not a sharp tangy apple but like apple pie filling.  

So in another Boom! Miracle this is the new top dog!  I thought that Grape Pomegranate would be the only contender left but it's anybody's game right now.  Except Orange Vanilla.  Sorry. It's good compared to other running gels, but compared to its Boom! Brethren it pales.  So the rankings right now are..

Apple Cinnamon

Strawberry Kiwi

Orange Vanilla 

So stay turned to find out how the other three remaining  flavors will stack up.  But for now... Gotta run!