Vega Sport Optimizer
I was excited that I managed the overall pace of 8:28 minute/mile for my first 1/2 Marathon! I walked at each of the water stops, two of those included about 2 oz. of a gatorade type drink. There is no substitute for training, speedwork and long runs when you want to run marathons or races. However, the use of Vega Optimizer blows gatorade out of the water! ( get it?…. out of the water…haha)
Kelly over at Vega recently asked me if I would be interested in trying the Vega Sport Optimizer and of course, I said yes! I was not aware of all of the ingredients or their purpose before drinking it (I waited to see how I felt without the bias of knowing ). I used one packet mixed with about 10 fl. oz of water before my 10 mile run. I have to say, I had minimal cramping, minimal joint pain, felt my energy levels were steady and that I could have just kept going after the 10 miles!
After being happily surprised for that run, I looked into this product more. I knew I wanted to use my samples for my first 1/2 marathon! I mixed 2 packets, the acai and lemon lime flavors, with about 16 oz of water before I went to bed and had it ready to go in the morning.
The purpose driven ingredients of Optimizer include:
Coconut Oil
Coconut oil is a raw healthy fat, which does not require digestion, and helps the body access and burn body fat as fuel.
Yerba Mate and Green Tea
Both rich in antioxidants and caffeine, these ingredients aid in digestion, boosts mental and physical performance.
Kombucha
Kombucha a fermented tea, rich in organic acids, active enzymes, amino acids,and antioxidants. It acts as a natural muscle relaxant, helping muscles move with greater fluidity and ease, resulting in less energy expenditure and ultimately enhanced endurance.
Rhodiola Extract (3% rosavin)
Rhodiola is proven to improves mood, physical and mental performance by dilating blood vessels, thereby increasing blood flow capacity throughout the body and reducing energy requirements placed on the cardiovascular system.
Panax Ginseng Extract (4% ginsenosides)
Ginseng is thought to strengthen the immune system, help reduce stress and cortisol levels, delay the onset of muscle fatigue. It also boosts energy and improves adrenal function without stimulation to reduce recovery time.
Devil’s Claw Extract (6:1)
Devil’s claw helps prevent inflammation and promotes joint vitality and fluid muscle contractions. A proven and safe alternative to synthetic analgesics, devils claw has also been shown to temporarily reduce the effectiveness of pain receptors, thereby allowing the athlete to push harder during physical activity to achieve a higher level of performance.
Turmeric Extract (95% curcuminoids),Ginger Extract (5% gingerols), Sodium & Potassium Citrate, Organic Sprouted Whole Grain Brown Rice Syrup, Organic Palm Nectar
Turmeric increases circulation, enhancing delivery of blood and oxygen to working muscles. It is also effective at reducing inflammation to enhance recovery post-workout. The correct balance of electrolytes and fluid will enhance muscle function, heart efficacy, and mental sharpness and help prevent muscle cramps
This information about these ingredients is from the brochure Kelly sent to me and the Vega Sport Optimizer website found here.
As you can read about, my race was COLD, RAINING, and WINDY the entire time. 
It was the first time I had run that far officially and I came out of it with minimal cramping, some soreness the next day but overall feeling on top of the world! I think my use of Sport Optimizer as I said initially was a significant help, not to replace all the hard work and healthy eating that goes into race training, and I highly recommend it for any of you runners & athletes out there! Thank you so much Kelly & Vega by Sequel Naturals!
