When an athlete's blood glucose level dips too low, a condition called "bonking" can occur, negatively affecting the athlete's performance. Due to my lack of natural reserves (beer fat), I have been on the lookout for an aid against dirt bike-related bonks for some time now. Earlier this year, off-road nice guy Destry Abbott saw me tossing my cookies at the DR 24-Hour, and he advised me to try out some products from his longtime sponsor, Cytosport.Cytosport hooked me up with its three-step supplement process consisting of Pre-Formance, Energy and Recovery. All three come in powder form and should be mixed with water or milk. The first, Pre-Formance, retails at $33.95 for a 3.08-pound jar. It is designed as a meal replacement, and the company claims it sustains energy and improves oxygen delivery while containing less than 2 percent of sugar and fat, priming your body for the workout ahead. The Cytomax Energy mix runs $21.50 for 1.5 pounds, and it provides steady energy (no bonking) and electrolytes to the body during a workout. The Recovery mix ($39.95 for 2.48 pounds) takes advantage of the one-hour recovery window that opens immediately after a workout to replace lost nutrients and reduce soreness.I was a little skeptical at first, but it only took one big ride to realize this stuff works really well for me. The Pre-Formance is a great alternative to a choked-down breakfast, and the chocolate-flavored mix actually tastes pretty decent with cold water. The Energy mix isn't bad either, as it provides a good alternative to sugary-tasting sports drinks and caffeine-laced energy drinks, though I ended up leaning out the recommended mixture on this one due to taste preference. The Recovery phase is difficult to mix and the vanilla flavoring tastes a little chalky at first, but the stuff absolutely improved my recovery after a few of Uncle Jimmy's death rides. Worth its weight in gold for multiday trail rides and motos, I have made it a habit to keep a baggie of Recovery in my gear bag. After three months of using the Cytomax trio for moto and training, I am convinced of the benefits of this product. It may be a hassle to be constantly mixing drinks-and the $100 investment is a lot steeper than stocking Gatorade-but I feel better, can ride harder and haven't bonked once since I started using Cytomax. That makes me a believer. -Chris Denisonwww.cytosport.com
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