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 Fourth Day of V

Happy Quattro de Mayo!!!

So today is the final day of drink and gel pairings...

And it's a strange one, Ginger Twist

And Mountain Berry

Let's start of course with our pre run snacky time!

Mountain berry.  This was a true stand out this festival.  It tasted like all the best jams at an IHOP.  Like a could pour this stuff over my crepes!

It was like a slightly tangy jam taste. Really good. It was almost like that elusive lingdon berry jam.  Just tart enough to get your brain awake but not enough to get the acid up in your stomach.  Super good!  Already declaring it the gel winner this festival!

The next was the Ginger Twist.

So I was really worried about this one.  I love fresh ginger with my sushi, my wife taught me that one.  But I was worried about the ginger being too strong...

Yep that's too strong.  I really want this Ginger...

So can Vfuel make a smooth Ginger?

Well the short answer is kind of...

Just like the Black Cherry Cola it has that watered down flavor.  It does have a very fresh taste which almost makes it worse since it just emphasizes the watering down.  This might be a great tool to keep  in your aid station kit for days you are having a little GI upset.  We all know that ginger is good for stomachs.

If I were evaluating the taste as a stomach aid I would say its great!  But a running fuel the ginger just lingered flavorwise a little too much in my mouth but in a thinned down way.  Ginger flavor needs to be kicked up a bit but then might cause some acid reflux on the run by being too spicy.  

So the drinks are all downed and the drinking portion of the festival ends...

Here are the final drink standings 

The winner in first place is the great Tangerine Cream!

In a very close second it's Cool Lime

In third place it's Black Cherry Cola

And in last place it's Ginger Twist...

I'm going to save the final gel rankings for tomorrow but Mountain Berry is way out in front!

Unless any of these GU flavors win out...

Those are some long shots for sure...

Ok guys, see you tomorrow, until then.. 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!