I was 17 when I met my wife and I can still remember what she looked like that first time I saw her. Wavy hair halfway down here back, tan pants, and her red and white high school lettering jacket that she somehow managed to make look amazing. I have met thousands of people and there is not another one where I can recall that first moment I saw them, let alone what they were wearing. There was just something special there from the start. While my first encounter with Honey Stinger doesn’t quite match up with that life changing event all those years ago I can tell you this. I have used countless energy products over my years as an endurance athlete but Honey Stinger is the only one where I can remember that exact moment when I first tried it. Maybe it was the circumstances or maybe there was just something special right from the start.
It was somewhere around 2am April 14th 2011 and I was well over 20 hours and 180 miles into the Rev 3 Epic 24 hr adventure race in Virginia. The weather over the last 20 hours had wavered back and forth from 38 degrees and rain to 38 degrees and pouring rain. That kind of rain you can’t even see through. That rain that turns mountain bike trails into thick energy sucking mud and finds it’s way under and through any water proofing you may or may not have been wearing in the first place.
I was riding a borrowed bike I had picked up the previous day having not rode a single mile in at least 2 years. Not a recipe for success. Still I was training for my second 50 mile run and what would be my first big ultra win (fueled mostly by Honey Stinger Waffles) so when my friend asked me to join his team for this adventure race I jumped on the chance. Sounded like fun.
Now I was done. There had been highs and lows over the last 20 hours and for the most part I had felt amazingly strong. But the truth was I had packed too light and now, close as we were to the finish my tank was empty and there was nothing to refill it with.
I dropped my empty pack on the ground and rummaged through it hoping I had somehow missed a gel or even one energy bite. Nothing. 10 minutes ago I had just crushed one of the hardest climbs I had ever faced on a mountain bike in the pitch dark, after 20 hours of biking, running, navigating and more biking to reach our final check-point. I felt untouchable. That was followed by a crazy descent with just small headlamps, flying through the trees and rocks, with reckless abandon. I felt invincible.
Now my friend TJ and I sat in the dark and the rain waiting for our other two companions in misery, Matt and Richard, to regroup after the mad descent. As the adrenaline seeped out of my body so did the last of my precious fuel. I felt my muscles tightening up as I put my empty pack back on and straddled my bike. I felt weak. That was when TJ handed me this magical thing called a Honey Stinger Waffle. I had heard of Honey Stinger before but knew nothing about it.
I was manager at The Running Store in Gainesville VA so I was familiar with most energy products but we didn’t carry Honey Stinger (yet) and I only knew it as something that the occasional cyclist would come through and ask for. Life was about to change. I will never forget that first bite of Honey Stinger Waffle it was one of the best foods I had ever tasted. It was a special moment. Being as deprived of fuel as I was it hit my blood stream instantly. 5 minutes later I was cranking through the woods, filled with energy again and ready to tack the final miles. I finished feeling strong and confidant.
A month later Honey Stinger was on the shelves of The Running Store. 4 years later I competed in my last full competitive season as an ultra-runner as part of the #HSHIVE (Yes I just hash tagged a blog post) and in that span of time I have used everything honey stinger has to offer, and while the waffles are still my number one, I would be hard pressed to find a product that I didn’t like.
You will rarely come into my house and not be able to find honey stinger gels or waffles in my cupboards. Yesterday morning however I was out and my 3-year-old son asked for a waffle for breakfast. I knew what he wanted but I thought maybe I could sneak one by him. So I gave him a regular old waffle. He looked at it and yelled “nooo this isn’t the only one. I want the only one that is my favorite.” So there you have it. There may be other great energy products out there but they don’t have that special something, they’re not the “only one”.
ORGANIC STINGER WAFFLES Organic • 0% Trans Fats • Fiber 1. Honey – Honey sandwiched between two thin waffles. 2. Vanilla – Vanilla-infused natural honey sandwiched between two thin waffles. 3. Strawberry – Strawberry-infused sandwiched between two thin waffles. 4. Chocolate – Chocolate-infused natural honey sandwiched between two thin waffles. 5. Lemon – Lemon-infused natural honey sandwiched between two thin waffles.
ORGANIC ENERGY CHEWS Organic • Vitamin C • Protein • Fiber • Potassium • Gluten Free 1. Fruit Smoothie – Contains cherry, orange and mixed berry flavored chews. 2. Pomegranate Passion – Contains pomegranate passion fruit flavored chews. 3. Cherry Blossom – Contains natural cherry flavored chews. 4. Orange Blossom – Contains natural orange flavored chews. 5. Pink Lemonade – Contains natural pink lemonade flavored chews. 6. Lime Ade – 95% Organic. Contains natural limeade flavored chews with 32mg of caffeine from white tea. 7. Cherry Cola – 95% Organic. Caffeinated with 32mg of white tea extract and sweetened with organic honey.
CLASSIC ENERGY GELS 85% Honey • B Vitamins • Electrolytes • Gluten Free 1. Gold – The great taste of natural honey. 2. Ginsting – Siberian ginseng extract, 32mg of caffeine from kola nut.
ORGANIC ENERGY GELS Organic Honey • Organic Tapioca Syrup • Electrolytes • Gluten Free 1. Fruit Smoothie – Blend of natural fruit flavors. 2. Acai Pomegranate – Blend of natural acai and pomegranate flavors. 3. Vanilla – Natural vanilla and honey flavor. 10g
PROTEIN BARS Organic Honey • 22 Vitamins and Minerals Whey Protein • Gluten Free Ingredients 1. Peanut Butta – Combination of peanut butter and milk chocolate. 2. Coconut Almond – Coconut, almonds and dark chocolate. 3. Cherry Almond – Cherries, almonds and dark chocolate. 4. Dark Chocolate Mint – Mint, almonds and dark chocolate. 5. Mocha Cherry – Cherries, 30mg of caffeine from coffee and dark chocolate
ENERGY BARS 30% Honey • 5g Soy Protein • 23 Vitamins and Minerals • Whole Grains 1. Peanut Butter ‘n Honey – Peanuts and honey with a chocolate coated bottom. 2. Rocket Chocolate – Chocolate with a chocolate coated bottom. 3. Blueberry Buzz – Blueberry with a yogurt coated bottom. 4. Berry Banana Buzz – Banana, apple, cranberries and strawberry with a yogurt coated bottom.
WILDFLOWER HONEY True Source Certified Organic Wildflower Honey from Brazil
KIDS’ ORGANIC WAFFLES Organic • 0% Trans Fats • Fiber • 80 Calories Per Serving Individually Wrapped Snacks 1. Honey – Honey sandwiched between two thin waffles. 2. Chocolate – Chocolate-infused natural honey sandwiched between two thin waffles. Gold Ingredients: Honey, Water, Potassium Citrate, Salt, Vitamins & Minerals, Niacinamide (Vit B3), Calcium Pantothenate (Vit B5), Pyridoxine, Hydrochloride (Vit B6), Riboflavin (Vit B2), Thiamine Mononitrate (Vit B1), Cyanocobalamin (Vit B12).
ALLERGENS: Packaged on equipment shared
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