Over the past 10+ years I’ve used various energy powders for training/racing, but of late they have all been discontinued (that’s kind of scary if you think about it…). Typically I’ll only use them in my CarboPro a couple times a week: either if it’s a super-early swim, or a dreaded Sufferfest-type trainer ride. I’ll usually take one on race morning too. Or at Special Needs.
Can anyone suggest anything with that kind of boost? Preferably something that doesn’t taste like shit. Caveat: no carbonation (e.g. red bull) and no coffee/tea.
The only other post like this I found mentioned “1st Endurance.” Maybe that’s a good substitute?
While caffeine powder may not be readily available, the 200mg tablets are still cheap and found just about everywhere i.e. Dollar stores as well as all pharmacies. There nice as you know the dosage from one half, one or one and a half. I crush them up with a spoon in a small bowl and add to race mix solutions.
That’s what I’ve been doing for years and prefer to start with 200mg tablets either in full or break them in half or quarter so I know/regulate the dosage through the day. I have tablets that I bought from Amazon that would probably crush super easy if one wants because they almost break up and dissolve before they are swallowed and have just a slight bitter flavor.
I stick with tablets. It is possible to buy caffeine powder but regulating the dose is tricky.
Example a study in the UK this year made the mistake of confusing 500mg with 5000mg!!
The subjects got very sick.
I use the PreRace from First Endurance. I believe its about 200mg of caffeine. Don’t just mix it with water though, mix it in some sort of sports drink. I’ll usually put it in their EFS. They also have the PreRace capsules but I never really got into those.
I’ve been drinking the Mio Energy squirts for caffeine delivery during workouts and otherwise. They’re cheap, at every grocery store and have a decent amount of caffeine. I’ve tried most of the fruit flavored ones and they’re all good. You can’t really measure the amount of caffeine down to the milligram, but you still have reasonable control.
If you don’t want the caffeine to be flavored or you want uber-precise measurements, then the caffeine tabs are good. In the past when I was more into lifting I bought caffeine powder, beta alanine and creatine in bulk along with a scale in order to make my own pre-workout concoction, but it’s really a pain measuring it all out. Powder gets everywhere, you feel like a drug dealer, etc. I’d avoid the bulk powders.
these are not the cheapest option but taste great and I have had good results racing with them. other than these I have been doing the 200mg tabs like most above and breaking as needed,
For IM distance, will you guys use caffeine during the bike? If yes, how much, and do you not find it causes a bit of a ‘crash’ by the time you hit the run??
I have tried many options such as green tea extract which is nasty but what I have settled on is using instant coffee mixed with EFS Liquid shot, easy simple and quite nice treat
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For IM distance, will you guys use caffeine during the bike? If yes, how much, and do you not find it causes a bit of a ‘crash’ by the time you hit the run?? Personally I’ll take a small amount right before the race starts, but not again until Run Special Needs (~ 200mg dosage). After trial and error I find it helps me more near the end of the race than during the bike. Also seems to help to quit using caffeine several weeks before the race.
While caffeine powder may not be readily available, the 200mg tablets are still cheap and found just about everywhere i.e. Dollar stores as well as all pharmacies. There nice as you know the dosage from one half, one or one and a half. I crush them up with a spoon in a small bowl and add to race mix solutions.
YMMV,
Hugh
Do you by any chance have a brand name or examples? Are you just talking about nodoze or something like that?
I’ve been using Motivator tablets (from the makers of carbopro) for years (~55mg caffeine plus other stuff per pill). Lately I’ve been thinking that the ‘kick’ it delivers isn’t really what it should be.
I use the PreRace from First Endurance. I believe its about 200mg of caffeine. Don’t just mix it with water though, mix it in some sort of sports drink. I’ll usually put it in their EFS. They also have the PreRace capsules but I never really got into those.
I’ve used that as well, it’s pretty good. Tastes terrible, but oh well. Always makes me poop immediately after drinking, so I’ve never tried it for an in-race thing.
Interesting how the amounts in the pills are so different from the powder, 3 pills = 100mg caffeine, vs one scoop of power with 200mg.
While caffeine powder may not be readily available, the 200mg tablets are still cheap and found just about everywhere i.e. Dollar stores as well as all pharmacies. There nice as you know the dosage from one half, one or one and a half. I crush them up with a spoon in a small bowl and add to race mix solutions.
YMMV,
Hugh
Do you by any chance have a brand name or examples? Are you just talking about nodoze or something like that?
I’ve been using Motivator tablets (from the makers of carbopro) for years (~55mg caffeine plus other stuff per pill). Lately I’ve been thinking that the ‘kick’ it delivers isn’t really what it should be.
Nodoze or Vivarin are two higher priced name brands that would be fine but we have always used a cheaper generic that still contains 200mg of caffeine per tablet. Crush them up as fine as possible add to water/drink mix and agitate well. Asker Jeukendrop’s research showed that 200mg worked better than 50mg which worked better than a placebo. The half life of caffeine in a human is on the order of 8 hours. So 8 hours after consumption ~ 1/2 has been passed. After 16 hours about 3/4 of the original amount consumed. For IMs I think supplementing the last half of the bike works well and hold you until you’re quaffing cola on the run.
My understanding is one teaspoon of pure caffeine powder approaches a lethal dose. Something to keep in mind, especially if you have kids around.
In certain instances this true. Caffeine powder should not be readily available.
People handling it use respirators, gloves, and take measures to prevent spills. It is not something to mess with casually.
BTW a cup of coffee has 100-150 mg of caffeine. Why is that not an option? There are also gels with anything from 25mg to 100mg of caffeine in them.
I’ve been using a caffeine powder of sorts called FireStar. Claims to be slow release and tastes good. Comes in single serve sachets so i can carry a few with me incase i need one mid race.