A Simple Drink Using Chia Seeds

If there is one thing that I have learned since starting to run several years ago, it is that the value of nutrition can not be overstated. Once the duration of your runs or rides start to exceed the 1 hour mark, the importance of nutrition increases dramatically. This has caused me to embark on a seemingly, never-ending quest to find good ways for my body to have access to the best fuels so it can keep going as fast and far as possible.

Here is my latest experiment. This is a little concoction that I tried during a 10-mile run last week. I have heard a lot about Chia Seeds and how valuable they can be for fueling endurance activities. Here is a simple little concoction that I came across.

1. Sliced a lemon in half and extract the juice from it using a juicer.

2. Poured the juice into a glass containing about 12 ounces of water.

3. Mix in two tablespoons of Chia Seeds. (I used Trader Joe’s brand.)

I think this might be called a Chia Fresco but I’m not sure. The Chia Seeds are loaded with fiber, protein, calcium, Omega-3s, iron and antioxidants. If you read the book “Born To Run” you are already familiar with how the legendary Turahumara runners use Chia Seeds to fuel their ultra-distance runs.

So far, I haven’t noticed any big improvements over the usual gel packs but I didn’t really expect to notice any giant improvement in one 10-mile run. I’m going to continue drinking these Chia Frescas during my long runs and I’ll keep you posted on how it goes.