If you're looking for a fancy schmancy recipe, then you're out of luck. Unfortunately, as much as I would have liked to prepare and bring along some awesome treats Saturday, I figured I probably wouldn't really have the space or opportunity to do this given the circumstances.

Kind of hard to eat a meal in between leaping 13 foot walls, hurdling fire and swinging from monkey bars. So, I had to find a few goodies that I could stash in the tiny pocket of my running pants that would help give me a boost of energy and curb my appetite.

Truth is, I wasn't too hungry during the event. I was too busy trying to get through the obstacles and too focused on staying upright, that I really didn't have time to think about eating. But on a few pit stops for water, I did find it helpful to reach into my pocket and grab a GU or PowerGel. These convenient little packs that are about the size of a business card were the perfect little pick me up mountainside.

They had just the right combination of fuel and energy.  Combined with caffeine they supplied me with the boost I needed to get me through to the next obstacle.

If you're going to be doing any type of event or distance running and you don't want to be bogged down by carrying loads of snacks, these gels make a convenient take along option. I'm usually a "real food" type of person, but sometimes it's necessary to stray from that.

Give them a try during your next workout or run and tell me what you think. My personal favorites are the chocolate flavor ones from GU- Chocolate Outrage. They have a little bit of carbs, amino acids, electrolytes and some caffeine. PowerGel Chocolate(pictured below is pretty good too). They taste like chocolate frosting and have a similar consistency.

Buon Appetito