This little kitten has lost her mitten

After my long run on New Year's day I tossed my stuff in the car, drove home (cranking the heat and drinking my Vega Sport Recovery Accelerator) and headed straight for a hot shower, stopping only to dump all my sweaty running stuff in the washer.

Friday as I took my clothes off the drying rack to put away, I came to a horrible realization. I'd lost one of my mittens!

I got these New Balance Competitor Glo-Mitts last year and they changed my life. Okay, maybe that's a little dramatic but I do absolutely love them.

They have a flip top, so when you get too hot or you need to do something with your fingers, you can just fold them back and they stay in place with a magnet. Genius. I don't have to take my whole mitten off when I am freezing at the start my run to start my Garmin. And when I inevitably get too hot, I can open them up and let some air in.

And now one is lost forever. I searched my whole house, my car, and I even drove back to the Eastern Trail Parking lot to look for it. Whomp whomp. 

What piece of running gear do you love so much that you would spend hours searching for it and be devastated if it were lost?

Fuel Your Better: Vega Sport Recovery

I know it is important to take in some post exercise nutrition within 30 minutes of completing a workout in order to help your body recover. In fact I recently read an article (which naturally I now can't find for the life of me) that this 30 minute window is even more important in women. 


However, this is real life and that pretty much never happens for me. I have to drive home from the gym or the trail, stretch, check my phone, shower, get dressed, make coffee, check in with R, let the dog out, etc. Next thing you know it's been an hour or more and I still haven't had a thing to eat or drink. 


So, when Vega Sport offered to let me try their Vega Sport Recovery Accelerator, I jumped at the chance. 

I like that the Recovery Accelerator is all natural and plant-based. Plus it is designed to address all six key elements of post-workout recovery: muscle glycogen replenishment, muscle tissue repair and protein synthesis, hormonal support, soft-tissue repair, immune system support, inflammation reduction and rehydration. 

Seriously, this stuff couldn't be easier to take. Open packet, dump in water, shake, and drink. Even I can handle that. The hardest part is remembering to stick an envelope in my gym bag in the morning!

When I first saw the color (bright yellow) I was slightly worried about how it was going to taste. But, it has a slightly fruity, but not too strong, taste. I have no problem chugging it right down after my work-out. I also want to try mixing it into a smoothie.

As for results? Does it help me recover faster? Well, this one is hard to tell of course because it is so subjective. I don't have a team of scientists measuring microscopic changes in my body. I took my first envelope on Friday after a brutal hour long session with the trainer followed by a 30 minute tempo run. I was a sweaty exhausted mess. 

Saturday I felt great at my metabolic conditioning class and then ran my fastest 400 m repeats in a long time at the track. Monday I had just a little too much fun celebrating Cinco De Mayo ($5 margaritas are a dangerous, dangerous, thing), yet Tuesday morning I managed to hammer out a super speedy 6 miler. 

So I can certainly say that it isn't hurting me and is likely helping. Mostly, it is a super easy way for me to actually make sure I get something into my body within 30 minutes of finishing my workout.

How soon after your workout do you eat or drink? What do you usually have? Do you notice a difference your recovery when you eat within 30 minutes after your workout?