Why chocolate milk?

Last week I made a pretty exciting announcement:

That’s right! I’ve joined the Powered Up by Chocolate Milk family as one of their newest athlete ambassadors! I’m joining a group of accomplished athletes, both elite and recreational, who love and use chocolate milk in recovery and who proudly help share the good word of chocolate milk.

Didn’t know there was a chocolate milk family? Well a couple years ago, neither did I! Like many runners, I thought prepared sports drinks were the only option for refuelling and rehydrating. During and after my runs I dutifully guzzled the neon coloured drinks feeling like I was doing the right thing to stay hydrated and replenish what my body had lost during a run.
Somewhere along the line I started hearing that chocolate milk was a great post-run drink and I think I probably laughed at first. Chocolate milk? Seriously?
Until I tried it after a half marathon. And instantly, I was hooked. Totally pooped, sweaty, salty and jittery with weakness, nothing tasted more amazing than drinking that carton of chocolatey goodness. And you know what? I actually felt better too.

Chocolate milk action shot at the Run for the Honeywagon Half Marathon

I started to use chocolate milk as part of my typical recovery routine and loved how I could refuel so easily after a hard run and start feeling better so quickly. Combined with a light snack, chocolate milk had me feeling strong and balanced again. Proper recovery has always been a key part of my training and I was happy to find a recovery drink that worked so well. And of course, it tasted so good I would start looking forward to it during each run.

Chocolate milk in an ice bath during training for my first marathon…brr!

Anyhow, fast forward to now and I am thrilled to have been invited to join the ranks and help inspire other athletes to try chocolate milk and find their optimal performance. It feels like a real honour to have been recognized just for what I’m already doing. (Check me out on Instagram and chances are you’ll see a few chocolate milk pics there!)

Artistic chocolate milk shot before my first ultra marathon in May 2013

I already knew that drinking chocolate milk after a long run or hard speed workout makes me feel better but I will admit that I didn’t exactly know all the science behind why it works. I’ve been spending a bit of time at the Powered Up by Chocolate Milk website lately and it’s pretty clear why cho-mo is such a great sports recovery drink.
Check it out:

• Recovery is all about refuelling, repairing and rehydrating your body so that it gets stronger and is ready to go for your next workout.
• During a workout carbohydrates function as your primary fuel and need to be restocked after a hard effort (refuelling)
• Protein is what helps repair and build your muscles after a workout (repairing)
• Water and electrolytes are lost through your sweat during a hard effort and also must be replenished (rehydrating)
• Chocolate milk naturally has the optimal ratio of carbohydrates and protein necessary to refuel and repair and since it is 90% water, chocolate milk is also an excellent way to rehydrate with a full complement of electrolytes (including potassium and sodium)

What I also love about chocolate milk is that it is a more natural sports recovery drink option and isn’t full of the crazy dyes and other additives found in many commercially available sports drinks. What I don’t love about chocolate milk? It tastes so good I sometimes have to fight my kids for the last glass!

My fridge stocked with chocolate milk and homemade citrus electrolyte drink

In the past couple years I have enjoyed many cartons of chocolate milk during my training for countless half marathons, 3 full marathons and now 2 ultra marathons. I’ve carted it along with me in a cooler bag, dashed into gas stations to purchase it on the way to races and ordered many a glass in restaurants at post-run brunches. 

You know it was a good weekend when there’s an empty cho-mo carton in your car!

Giveaway: Get Powered Up By Chocolate Milk! 

And while the Powered Up by Chocolate Milk program works in conjunction with the BC Dairy Foundation, it doesn’t hurt to show the US chocolate milk people a little love too when I’ve been racing down in the States…

Trying out the stateside chocolate milk after the Baker Lake 50k ultra marathon

So there you have it! My chocolate milk story and a couple of reasons why you might want to try chocolate milk after your next race or long run too. Stay tuned for more information about chocolate milk and recovery to come on this blog. 

For more information about the Powered Up by Chocolate Milk program…

• Check out the Powered Up by Chocolate Milk website 
• Read their blog for recovery tips and articles by PBCM athletes (like me!)
• Meet the other PBCM athlete ambassadors
• Join the conversation by following PBCM on Twitter
• Hashtag your own chocolate milk pursuits with #pbchocolatemilk

Are you a chocolate milk believer? Do you drink chocolate milk for recovery?