What to Eat on Your Distance Run? Clif Bar Has Pizza Slices & Smoothies

By Cat Perry

Clif Bar wants you to have plenty of good reasons to fuel up when exercising for long distances. When you're far from home or your hotel, you need nutrition that goes down fast and easy—and that gives you a good, clean boost for the long haul.

The Clif Organic Energy pouches come filled with a smooth flavorful punch of vegetables, fruit, grains, and spices. As the name implies they're all organic and they range from 110 calories to 160 calories, plus contain hydrating electrolytes so your muscles stay nice and relaxed. But how does it taste?! Gotcha, if it's gross, why bother? But these are actually good. The Banana Beet with Ginger is really, really good, IMHO. And this judgement is not just based on the rest of the endurance foods and gels and how just-barely palatable they tend to skew. Plus these Foods are not overly sweet—which is my favorite, since packaged high-energy foods are generally sugar bombs with little flavor and little else in terms of nutrients.

Twisting open the Banana Beet with Ginger Energy Food and sucking it down is like sipping a bright, flavorful smoothie on the run. Plus: Ginger is a phenomenal stomach soother, while beets boost your body nitric oxide production, which "not only decreases blood pressure but also reduces the amount of oxygen needed during exercise and enhances athletic performance," according to a Feb 2012 article in Today's Dietitian.

If you're training for a distance race, or are just not sure when you'll get back home after a ride or run or climb, pack along this Clif Energy Food for clean calories and the nutrition you need. Flavors include: Banana Beet with Ginger, Sweet Potato Salt, Pizza Margherita, Bana Mango with Coconut.

Other Clif Endurance Series Products:

Organic Energy Food
Energy Gel
Bloks
Protein Recovery Drink
Electrolyte Hydration Drink