Day 12 of a Fit Christmas

It's the FINAL day of a the 12 Days of a Fit Christmas!  I hope it's provided a little extra motivation to help keep you on track this busy holiday season.  Just reading your entries have made the difference in getting me out the door some days!  The random winner of Day 11's custom iPhone cover from Family Fan Club is... ERIN D., who ran 5.5 miles, followed by the hip portion of the StrongStrides DVD.  Erin, please email me at runwithjess@comcast.net to claim your prize.

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When I was training for my first half marathon, a runner friend asked me if I was practicing mid-run fueling.  The answer was obvious by my "deer-in-headlights" look.  Almost three years later, I've gotten it down to a near science.  My product of choice is GU Energy gels.

GU Energy was first on the scene with energy gels, introduced in 1991.  Easy to take, simple to digest, the GU Energy gels provide a shot of fast-acting natural fructose (natural sugar) to boost your energy supply while on the run.  The 100 calorie pack restores vital electrolytes to keep your blood chemistry in line and hydration levels stable. The gel contains complex carbs (in the form of maltodextrin) to assist in maintaining your glucose levels over the course of your run.

I typically use energy gels when I plan training runs over 8 miles in length. In a half marathon, I've found timing to be best at mile 5 and 10.  Sometimes I even take one before a 5K or 10K if I feel like I didn't fuel properly the night before.

GU Energy also offers "fuel" in forms of chewable Chomps, electrolyte drinks and the Roctane ultra-endurance gels.  I've trained with them all at some point or another.  The Chomps remind me of my kids' fruit snacks. If you have a hard time swallowing the "goo," then these are probably your best bet.  The drinks are a great addition to your water on a long run to keep your electrolyte levels up.  I found this really helpful during my full marathon training.  The Roctane is a serious boost of caffeine. I've tried it many times without a consistent result.  Sometimes my tummy can't handle it; other times it's fine.

Overall I prefer the regular GU Energy gels.  There is definitely a difference when I use them on a long run or marathon.  My favorite flavors are Tri-Berry, Strawberry-Banana, Mandarin Orange and Jet Blackberry.  And now, GU Energy introduced a seasonal flavor for the winter... Peppermint Stick!

I recently tried out the Peppermint Stick flavor and found the minty flavor refreshing while on the run.  Keep in mind, I love Peppermint flavor in general.  I chew Peppermint Extra gym while running all the time, so this flavor was perfect for me.  Think of it like a breath mint - your running partner will thank you!

GU Energy also introduced new Peanut Butter and Island Nector flavors.  I haven't tried them yet, but Peanut Butter sure sounds interesting to me!?

It's Monday AND the last day of a Fit Christmas ... so GET BUSY and GET ACTIVE today!  Then come back and tell me about it to earn an entry to win today's prize... 

Peppermint Stick GU Energy gel!

HERE'S HOW TO WIN TODAY'S PRIZE

 from GU Energy

First you gotta work out!!  That's #1 priority here folks.  Get your sweat on and then come back and tell me about it!!  Make stuff up and Karma will come knocking at your door...

1.  BLOG

Comment below on this blogpost:  Answer me this... "How did you stay FIT today?"  Simple answers such as "I ran 3 miles" will suffice, or you can brag it up and give me a detailed summary.  One entry per person per day.

2.  TWITTER

Tweet, tweet, tweet!  Tweet something like this... "I ran 4 miles to win  Peppermint GU in the #FitXmas @GUEnergyLabs @RUNwJESS"  Of course, you should replace the underlined part with what you actually did.  Key is to include the hashtags #FitXmas, @RUNwJESS and @GUEnergyLabs.  No need to come back and tell me about it... I'll see it on Twitter if you tag me appropriately.  One entry per person per day.

3.  FACEBOOK

Comment on today's Facebook post that asks, "How did you stay FIT today?"  Again, no need to come back and tell me about it... I'll see it on the Run with Jess FB page.  One entry per person per day.

No matter which social medium is your forte, 

you can play the 12 Days of a Fit Christmas!!

If you do all three, you'll earn 3 entries into today's drawing.

Day 12 closes for new entries at 12:00 midnight CST.  Winner will be announced on Dec. 13.

THE FINE PRINT

• You must follow Run with Jess via Google Friend Connect (click Join button in the right sidebar), on Facebook and/or on Twitter.  I don't mean to force you to like me, but I gotta be able to get in touch with you.

• Giveaway items were supplied to me by the named companies.  However, the opinions expressed here are all Jess.

• Open to U.S. residents only. Sorry my international buddies, but postage is getting expensive.

• Each person may only win once.  Gotta spread the holiday cheer around...

• No sign-up or registration required.  Just come back each day from Dec. 1st thru the 12th.

• Each person is allowed a maximum of 3 entries into each giveaway (1 for a blog comment, 1 for a tweet, and 1 for a FB post).  Each entry must answer the question, "What did you do to stay fit today?"