As the cliché goes, everything’s bigger in Texas. In some sense, we can agree. The summers are bigger—they seem to last almost all year in parts of the state. The heat is bigger, too. And, if Joy Brott is any indicator, the drive and determination of Texas athletes may be bigger, too. Joy got her first mountain bike in 1985 and wasted no time, beginning her racing career that same year at 16 years old.
Much has changed since then—Joy married 24 years ago and is still happily living in Texas with her husband and two dogs. She enjoys camping, hiking, cooking and French. One thing remains constant, though—Joy still takes every opportunity she gets to race her mountain bike. There is another constant over much of the past 31 years, a constant Joy has tried for many years to leave behind her. In that sunny Texas heat, riding dozens or even over 100 miles in day, Joy has dealt with muscle cramps for much of her career. Some challenges you simply can’t take out of the race—the heat and sweat, the grueling climbs and last steep ascent you’re sure will be more than you can handle. But cramps? Joy just couldn’t help believing there had to be a way to race without those getting in her way.
Over her career, she’s tried everything. Joy says, “As you might guess, I’ve tried most of the tricks racer use to prevent/cure cramps: potassium/calcium supplements, extra hydration, bananas, massages, etc. But none of them gave me good or consistent relief.” #ITSTHENERVE, however, is a different story. First, she was thrilled to learn it is both lactose and gluten free, as Joy has struggled with both lactose intolerance and celiac disease. She says since she started using #ITSTHENERVE in July of 2015, everything has changed. She says her results have been excellent. Cramps were their worst for Joy on long races, hot, full-energy training sessions, or on hill repeats either in training or competition. In fact, just a few months before she started training with #ITSTHENERVE, Joy cramped only half way into a race and ended up limping across the finish line must later than she would have on a cramp-free ride. #ITSTHENERVE has made such a difference for her training that Joy now says she wouldn’t even think of tackling a long race without #ITSTHENERVE before, during, and after the race. She keeps her race bag packed at all times, and a few shots of #ITSTHENERVE area standard item on her equipment checklist these days. Oh, and what’s more? As if the cramp-defeating benefits weren’t enough, Joy says taking a shot of #ITSTHENERVE after an intense race or training day helps her legs feel more refreshed and recover faster. While we don’t have science to backup these reports, it is something we are researching more as we seek to make #ITSTHENERVE the best it can be for athletes competing in any sport. We want to help Joy, and you, cross more finish lines cramp-free. Feedback from athletes is a great part of that effort.
What remedies have you tried and how did they work for you? Have you tested #ITSTHENERVE? Let us know how it worked for you!
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