Three things here, folks. First and foremost, I’ve made the announcement via Instagram but I never officially announced on the blog that I’m a new ambassador for SOS. Here’s the official announcement: I’ve been selected as an ambassador for SOS!
I’m honored to be part of this amazing team of athletes near and far. It’s been quite fun getting to “know” the other ambassadors because as it turns out, we are worldwide. It’s my first international group that I’ve been part of on Facebook, and I’m really enjoying it. I love connecting with new people, and it’s particularly exciting when those folks don’t reside in your same country.
Now that we’re all on the same page, today is review day! As such, I will be reviewing SOS for you. So the second item on the agenda: I have not received any product or compensation for the following review. All opinions are my own.
And thirdly, please be sure to stick around for the full review. There’s a surprise at the end. You won’t want to miss it.
Onward, friends!
For those of you unfamiliar with SOS, a little background for you. SOS is an electrolyte replacement drink. It comes in powdered form, so it’s easily added to water in any concentration. There are two flavors: citrus and berry. Both delicious. SOS was created for maximum rehydration for endurance athletes, but it’s safe and effective for use by all athletes, or even just as a refreshing drink on a hot day. “The SOS drink mix is as effective as an IV drip for mild to moderate dehydration in active lifestyles, but safer and cheaper.” Good to know!
Upon first purchasing and trying out SOS, my first response was “ick!” I had a quick and sharp reaction to the salty taste. I was a little disappointed because I knew how wonderful this product had been for so many people, and I really wanted to love it. What I didn’t realize, upon first taste, was that I had made my drink too concentrated for my taste buds! Oops. My bad.
After realizing my mistake, I made another batch and this time it was much better.
Tip #1: Experiment with different concentration levels. If it’s too salty, add more water. If it’s too watery, add more powder.
The second try went much better. I would also recommend making sure it is very cold. This is coming from the girl who chugs room temperature water by the glassful. The reason I say to make it very cold is because the entire purpose of using this drink is to replace your electrolytes after during a hard workout. Here in the U.S., we are in the throes of summer. As such, who wants to be out on the road sweating their booty off, drinking warm, salty electrolyte replacement? Not me! I want something cold to chug and cool me down!
Tip #2: Drink it cold!
One of the things I love about SOS is the convenient individual pouches to add to water bottles (or glasses). There’s nothing that drives me more crazy than having to pre-measure everything before adding it to water or shakes.
Speaking of shakes — I haven’t tried this myself — but SOS may be a great addition to a post-workout shake. Might be worth a try! And one tip I have tried is mixing citrus and berry together for an awesome fruit punch flavor. Do it. You won’t regret it.
Tip #3: Mix citrus and berry together to make fruit punch! Or, try adding it to a shake!
Another thing I love about SOS is that it has yet to hurt my stomach. I have a pretty stable GI tract, but for some reason, whenever I run, my tummy is in straight upheaval mode. I used to be pretty good with sport beans and chews, but with my crazy marathon training mileage I noticed the more sugar I pumped into my gut, the worse it got. This happens with a lot of people, actually. I experimented with real food, which sat much better, but the electrolyte replacements were all really sweet. And sweet is not good for those of us with sensitive bellies on the run. SOS is a welcome alternative to “traditional” electrolyte replacements.
So what do I not like about SOS? I don’t like how salty it was the first time I tried it. I was expecting something much sweeter. Now that I know, however, I know how to use it effectively and efficiently, so we’re all good on that front. Trial by fire, people.
Bottom line — would I recommend SOS to friends, family, and fellow runners? Absolutely. It’s convenient, easy to use and drink, is gentle on the stomach, and with two great flavors, what’s not to love?
Still with me? Great! Because in honor of becoming an SOS Ambassador, I’m giving away one pack of 10 single serve pouches of SOS Rehydrate to one lucky winner. Whoop whoop!
I’m linking up with Running with SD Mom and Erica Finds for another giveaway roundup. You can #winalltheprizes!
GOOD LUCK!!!
Giveaway details: Giveaway starts July 29, 2015 at 12:00 am EST and ends August 5, 2015 at 12:00 am EST. It is open to U.S. and Canadian residents. The winner will receive the flavor of his/her choice and will be announced on the Running on Happy Facebook page, via Twitter, Instagram, and will be contacted by email.
