We spoke with three cyclists who hit the hills of Latigo during the 171 km, two-day Malibu Gran Fondo in early March. With hundreds of rides completed between them, the three seasoned athletes, each prone to muscle cramping, were excited to discover #ITSTHENERVE at a crucial time of the ride. Read about how #ITSTHENERVE helped them cruise to the top, and share your experiences with #ITSTHENERVE below.
Ed Hein:
“I know my body well and … I knew I’d lock up as soon as we started that climb. I drank #ITSTHENERVE before the 10-mile stretch and had no cramps at all. I’m sold!”
Ed started riding centuries in 1993 and has since competed in hundreds of races including road, mountain bike cross-country and endurance. His love for chasing theendorphin high has expanded to everything from Ironman-distance triathlons to kayaking. You can imagine there’s a muscle cramp to be had somewhere in between.
His usual anti-cramp routine includes salt tablets or electrolytes 24 hours ahead of an event, guzzled down with lots of water. He was ready to try something different.
He drank a bottle of #ITSTHENERVE 10 miles before ascending the heavy climbs near the base of Latigo Canyon. The result? “No cramps at all. I’m sold!”
So now that he’s got 171 KM behind him, Hein is ready to schedule his next adventure on the bike. “I will probably do some cross country mountain bike races and a few recreational centuries in addition to some gravel grinder rides.”
The takeaway: “I wish I would have had a second bottle of #ITSTHENERVE to test later in the ride after suffering some mild hamstring cramps in my right leg!”
Don’t worry; we’ll see you at the starting line of your next ride, Ed!
Dan Bowler:
I have completed six century rides in the last twelve months: Mammoth Gran Fondo, The Edible Pedal, Levis Gran Fondo, Giro Della Costa Centralle, The Tour de Palm Springs and Malibu Gran Fondo. I also competed in the inaugural Bodhi Bowl 30 mile mountain bike race last year. I am planning on attending another 15-century rides this year, as well as the Epic Mountain Bike event to be held in Carson City in June. It’s going to be a busy training year!
The muscle cramps I experience both later in a ride and afterwards, are probably my biggest challenge beyond actively maintaining and improving my strength and overall physical condition. I generally do not over eat in the morning but use gels and powdered supplements, while consuming several bottles of fluid in the hours preceding a race.
I had not heard of #ITSTHENERVE prior to seeing the booth at … the Malibu Gran Fondo. I’m glad to have discovered it!
I first tried #ITSTHENERVE at mile 72 before the King of the Mountain challenge 9+ mile climb up Latigo Canyon. I was riding at a personal record pace and had just ridden against some coastal headwinds and my legs were feeling a little tired at the bottom of the coming climb. I drank two bottles of the magical drink and voila! My cramps disappeared. As I rose about the Pacific Coast Highway in the second half of the climb, I passed at least twenty riders, and continued to ride without anyone passing by. It felt victorious especially in the last four to five miles of the climb where I stood up and climbed strongly! It was so awesome!
I am extremely grateful #ITSTHENERVE was made available to me. It made a huge difference on the climb, dissolving my cramps as I charged up Latigo Canyon.
The takeaway: After the race, I did not experience any cramping which is very unusual.
Live to ride & ride to live.
Ed D:
“It’s worked for me before and it worked during the Gran Fondo!”
I had a chance to try #ITSTHENERVE at the Malibu Gran Fondo during the 70 mile ride with a good long climb after 45 miles, up Latigo Canyon from PCH. It’s ten miles of climbing and when I do this loop, I can guarantee I get cramps somewhere on the climb. I decided to take #ITSTHENERVE at the rest station at the bottom of the climb to see if it worked. I was able to not only get a PR on the climb, but I also never cramped. I could feel where my muscles were “angry,” but they kept working for the remainder of the ride. I also never experienced any post-ride cramps or nocturnal cramping which I used to get after long rides such as this. I talked to several other riders who were on the ride who used #ITSTHENERVE, and not a single one experienced a cramp after drinking it. I heard that one fellow rider waited until he cramped, and then took it and away they went!
The takeaway: For anyone doing anything longer than a sprint distance on the bike, road or water, this product is a game changer!
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Meet two athletes who found a tool that lets them train hard and keep muscle cramps out of the competition. Read their story here.