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HotShot Cramp race test
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I have a hot race this weekend and while I dont usually cramp, or cramp as much as the next guy in an Olympic distance race....its going to be high 80's and 90's by the time I hit the run. In preparation for another key hot and humid race later this summer I thought it would be worth trying out HotShot...to see what happens and how magical this special sauce really is?

I was not sure if I should pre load on the bike where I can tolerate the taste and chase it more easily with water or just hit it mid 10k run, where the burps might be a bit rough....

Again if it blows me up this weekend, no big deal, its a race I am trying a few things out in but wanted to try in thinking down the road, mostly as insurance should my key race have issues.

Any experience?
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Re: HotShot Cramp race test [Zippy303] [ In reply to ]
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i think it's awful



---------------------------------------
Fruit snacks are for winners
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Re: HotShot Cramp race test [Zippy303] [ In reply to ]
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Placebo or not, I started having bad side
stitches in a hilly 13.1 this Fall. I took my HotShot and the stitch stopped. No fire burp problems.

I know they say you can pre-load. No idea how that works, but it worked fine to take during.

Aaron Bales
Lansing Triathlon Team
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Re: HotShot Cramp race test [Zippy303] [ In reply to ]
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I just had this experience last weekend. Hot race (mid 80s and humid), olympic distance. I swam OK, rode well, and was running well until cramps hit me hard in my inner thighs at about 2.8mi in to the run. It was an out and back run, and the first place guy ran by and said "take this, it'll help, I promise!" and handed my a hotshot. I had no experience with the product but was also not looking to walk the next 3.4 miles. After being at a near standstill or barely hobbling for 2min prior, I was running again within 20-30sec. I didn't lose my place (although 2 guys from a later wave ended up beating me, so I dropped from 4th to 6th after the fact) and that was good enough for me.

If the winner of the REV3 Williamsburg Olympic is out there and reading this, you saved my race and kept me from a long walk (or my first DNF).

I suggest it as a backup. It tastes like hell but works.

Make sure not to take a gel right beforehand or anything - the functionality of hotshot is apparently based on it getting in to your saliva glands, so if you coat your mouth with a gel, it won't be as effective.

"Don't you have to go be stupid somewhere else?"..."Not until 4!"
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Re: HotShot Cramp race test [Zippy303] [ In reply to ]
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It has definitely worked for me. Have cramped frequently at IM distance races and it stopped after using Hotshot.
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Re: HotShot Cramp race test [pabloarc] [ In reply to ]
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First experience was last year at the 70.3 B2B ironman event. Cramped on the run at the 3 mile mark and then took out my hotshot tube/drink from the Desoto short pocket. Maybe 90 seconds later I was running again if not slower than before. Get it and carry it.
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Re: HotShot Cramp race test [Zippy303] [ In reply to ]
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All I can say is I was offered one late on the run return at Kona the first year they had come out and they may not have even had water at that time. For whatever reason I took a Hotshot and it burnt like hell and I just wanted to throw up. I had to then suffer it out I think until the next aid station or the finish I can't remember but it wasn't pretty. Rookie mistake but I won't be trying them ever again...
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Re: HotShot Cramp race test [Zippy303] [ In reply to ]
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I always drink a pickle juice shot.. I'm hooked on that stuff.

Pack of yellow mustard will work in a pinch too.
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Re: HotShot Cramp race test [Zippy303] [ In reply to ]
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I'm a chronic leg cramper on the run portion of a tri. I've tried hot shots several times during races, it never helped me once, still had bad cramps. Took it after cramps too, never helped.
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Re: HotShot Cramp race test [Zippy303] [ In reply to ]
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The Madison 70.3 earlier this year was hot. Screwed up my nutrition and hydration on the bike and started to get hamstring cramps at abt 45 miles. I've never had that happen before. They gave the hot shots out with packets so I stuck it in my running shoe just in case. Took it down in t2 and it's not pleasant but managed to get thru the run with just a little cramping in the first mile. I did take in plenty of Gatorade and water on the run also fwiw. That's my experience with it and I do think it helped me that day.
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Re: HotShot Cramp race test [Zippy303] [ In reply to ]
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Zippy303 wrote:
I have a hot race this weekend and while I dont usually cramp, or cramp as much as the next guy in an Olympic distance race....its going to be high 80's and 90's by the time I hit the run. In preparation for another key hot and humid race later this summer I thought it would be worth trying out HotShot...to see what happens and how magical this special sauce really is?

I was not sure if I should pre load on the bike where I can tolerate the taste and chase it more easily with water or just hit it mid 10k run, where the burps might be a bit rough....

Again if it blows me up this weekend, no big deal, its a race I am trying a few things out in but wanted to try in thinking down the road, mostly as insurance should my key race have issues.

Any experience?

You should do a side-by-side with the Pickle Juice shot. If the pickle juice work just as good you could save people a small fortune.


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Re: HotShot Cramp race test [Thomas Gerlach] [ In reply to ]
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I am a long time user of pickle juice sport and shots. I tried Hot Shots ... seemed to help but less effective compared to the pickle juice shots.
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Re: HotShot Cramp race test [HuffNPuff] [ In reply to ]
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HuffNPuff wrote:
I am a long time user of pickle juice sport and shots. I tried Hot Shots ... seemed to help but less effective compared to the pickle juice shots.

Well pickle juice shots have been around for a long time, long long before HotShot, they just were not marketed very well. I am not really one to cramp in the first place so tough for me to compare.


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Re: HotShot Cramp race test [Thomas Gerlach] [ In reply to ]
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2 packets of iodized salt from mcdees work just well, and they are free.

Next races on the schedule: none at the moment
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Re: HotShot Cramp race test [Zippy303] [ In reply to ]
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Zippy303 wrote:
I was not sure if I should pre load on the bike where I can tolerate the taste and chase it more easily with water or just hit it mid 10k run, where the burps might be a bit rough....

I have never used Hotshot, but I did get a promo bottle and read the instructions. They have instructions for taking it before cramping to prevent cramping from happening, which I thought was really weird and I attributed it to marketing. My understanding is that hotshot can work to stop cramps by shocking your taste-buds and giving you somewhat of a neurological reset which distracts your brain and stops your brain from misfiring the cramping muscle. It is the same mechanism that has caused people to swear by pickle juice, mustard packets, hot sauce packets, soy packets, and other shockingly strong, slightly offensive flavors for years. Based on my understanding of how it works, I do not see any value in pre-loading hotshot (unless you sell hotshot, in which case they want you drinking that before, during, and after every workout).
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Re: HotShot Cramp race test [Zippy303] [ In reply to ]
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It has worked for me, and I do find taking one ~30 min before the swim start helps my legs on the bike. Could be placebo, not sure. I'll probably try the pickle juice shots at some point as well because Hotshot is just too pricey for regular use.
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Re: HotShot Cramp race test [JDinMA] [ In reply to ]
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So hearing its all about taste buds in your mouth, do you need to swallow it or just swish in your mouth and spit out? Upside being you can avoid any negative stomach and burp issues?
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Re: HotShot Cramp race test [Zippy303] [ In reply to ]
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It's pretty much the only thing that works for my wife's chronic cramps. Doesn't work for everyone though, my nonscientific impression from people I know that have tried it is about 50/50 success rate.
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Re: HotShot Cramp race test [Zippy303] [ In reply to ]
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I use it for races as I always got calf cramps at the start of the run. Now I take it as I am running out of T2 and no more cramps. I should probably try Pickle Juice too just to see if it would work. I was racing a sprint earlier this year and a guy who was coming in on the bike with me said he was not sure he was going to make it to the end because he was already cramping on the bike. I gave him an extra bottle of hotshot I had and he gave it a try. Made it to the end of the race with no more cramping. I do think it works for some people. I do have an iron stomach though.
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Re: HotShot Cramp race test [bmeer] [ In reply to ]
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bmeer wrote:
i think it's awful

x2...Hot Shot is absolutely unpalatable to me, as is anything pickle flavored while exercising. Hot Shot tastes like those little red hot round cinnamon candies, that I gave away after Trick or Treating as a kid.
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Re: HotShot Cramp race test [Zippy303] [ In reply to ]
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I recently tested Hotshot in my first 70.3. Was a crazy hot day and since import to Germany was like 85$ with tax and shipping for 5 shots, I didn't tested them before, as I wanted to save everything for the race. I was quiet surprised of the taste and how hot they really are :D But I liked it a lot.
Took one 30 minutes to the start. The next 45k on the bike and then 90k on the bike just before the run. I am a chronic cramper and I don't have a direct comparison, to what would have happened without hotshot. The mental/placebo pushed me for sure and despite cramping at 3k into the run (as usual) It took me 2 minutes and everything was fine again...taking my last shot 12k into the run. The last 2k were terrible tho! It felt like every bit of cramp that was delayed by that magical hot sauce would stand in line for a single bad movement and hit me hard! I made it to the finish without problems in the end...
I used salt tablets the week prior to the event and pumped my body up with electrolytes...my hydration and feeling strategy was perfect and well executed so I guess Hotshot really helped me...I would definitely buy it again, if the shipping and taxes wouldn't be so ridiculous expensive!

sent from my iPhone
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Re: HotShot Cramp race test [Stromlinie] [ In reply to ]
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So you took it throughout the bike and on the run, but you cramped twice on the run, and you think it helped??
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Re: HotShot Cramp race test [Stromlinie] [ In reply to ]
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Stromlinie wrote:
I recently tested Hotshot in my first 70.3. Was a crazy hot day and since import to Germany was like 85$ with tax and shipping for 5 shots, I didn't tested them before, as I wanted to save everything for the race. I was quiet surprised of the taste and how hot they really are :D But I liked it a lot.
Took one 30 minutes to the start. The next 45k on the bike and then 90k on the bike just before the run. I am a chronic cramper and I don't have a direct comparison, to what would have happened without hotshot. The mental/placebo pushed me for sure and despite cramping at 3k into the run (as usual) It took me 2 minutes and everything was fine again...taking my last shot 12k into the run. The last 2k were terrible tho! It felt like every bit of cramp that was delayed by that magical hot sauce would stand in line for a single bad movement and hit me hard! I made it to the finish without problems in the end...
I used salt tablets the week prior to the event and pumped my body up with electrolytes...my hydration and feeling strategy was perfect and well executed so I guess Hotshot really helped me...I would definitely buy it again, if the shipping and taxes wouldn't be so ridiculous expensive!

Maybe we can get an STer to send you an 18 pack of Pickle Juice shots. It is only $19. Would be interesting since you are such a big cramper to see if they work any better or worse.


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Re: HotShot Cramp race test [Rocky M] [ In reply to ]
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Rocky M wrote:
bmeer wrote:
i think it's awful


x2...Hot Shot is absolutely unpalatable to me, as is anything pickle flavored while exercising. Hot Shot tastes like those little red hot round cinnamon candies, that I gave away after Trick or Treating as a kid.

I'll PM you my mailing address.
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Re: HotShot Cramp race test [SBRcoffee] [ In reply to ]
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SBRcoffee wrote:
So you took it throughout the bike and on the run, but you cramped twice on the run, and you think it helped??

Well the conditions were harsh and as I said I don't know what would have happened without hotshot, but for the first aid kind of cramp "prevention" it was useful yes... I mean I really hoped it would help me, so maybe it was just placebo...but in the end i felt better and thats what counts in my opinion.
I read Tim Reed would take it throughout the bike and Run leg, as soon as he would notice signs of cramping. Maybe I get things confused, but am I not supposed to do that or am missing something here? :D

sent from my iPhone
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