Honey Stinger Chocolate Waffle Review & Giveaway (Part I)

Boy oh boy is it a fine fall day out there today! And what goes better with fall than chocolate waffles for running fuel? Nothing. That’s what. In collaboration with The Hub Running Club, Honey Stinger has generous sent me some of their amazing products for me to review…and then pass on to you!

When all is said and done, I’m going to be giving away boxes of Lemon Waffles, Fruit Smoothie Energy Gels, and Blueberry Buzz Energy Bars (all less one item per box for review purposes, sorry!).  I’ll be doing the reviews right after trying each product, so memories are fresh, and then giving away that product.

So, let’s start with the first product: The Chocolate Waffle (I know this is a different flavor than the giveaway).

First, a little bit about Honey Stinger.  One thing that really sets them apart from the field is the fact that their products are organic.  They use natural ingredients to get you your energy on the go, a reassuring thought in these chemical-filled times of ours.  Now, I know what you’re thinking, “waffles? Before a run?  No way.”  I’m here to say, yes.  Yes, way.

Most of my runs are at night, usually around 6 or 6:30 p.m.  Sometimes, like last night, they even  start around 8:30 p.m.  Running this late usually means a decent interval in between lunch and the run and I often will have something small to eat about 1.5 hours before I start to ward off that hungry feeling and give me a boost before the run.  Last night I ate my chocolate waffle about 1.25 hours before my run.  I tend to have a sensitive stomach and like to give myself a good amount of time to digest anything, even smacks, before I run.

Right off the bat, I have to say, these things are tasty.  Like, eat any time regardless of need for energy tasty, not “tasty for energy food tasty.”  The waffles are very thin, not big and fluffy like you’d think for a regular, real-life waffle.  This means they’ll fit nicely in a pocket or pouch on the run.  What struck me about them is that they leave you feeling satisfied without feeling like you just ate something, which, I know, sounds like a contradiction, but it’s the only way to describe it.  These waffles don’t sit in your stomach and leave you feeling heavy.  Instead, you get your energy boost, eliminate that late-day hunger, and are soon ready to go about your athletic activity.

Rebecca also tried the waffles last night.  As she tends to have a very sensitive stomach when it comes to running, I wanted to add her impressions here as well.  The long of the short of it is that she had no trouble on her run after eating a waffle and shared my feeling that it didn’t sit heavy like some other fuel does.  She could see the Honey Stinger Waffle being great fuel on a long run given that it is easy to chew (unlike some gummies), compact, and gives a good shot of energy and nutrients.

Of course, the proof is in the running, as the saying goes.  Or something like that at least.  Last night’s run turned out to be one of the best I’ve had in a long time, at least in terms of speed, effort, and overall feeling.  I wanted to be sure to push myself to points I knew would hurt to see if I felt any stomach unease from trying the waffle.  I’m very happy to report there was none of that at all.  All I felt was ready to go, and go I went.

So, here’s how to enter to win your very own box of Honey Stinger Lemon Waffles (each step gets you one entry in the drawing):

1. Head over to the Honey Stinger Facebook Page, Like it, and leave a comment saying Once A Runner, Always A Runner sent you.  Then leave a comment here saying you’ve done so.
2. Like The Hub Running Club’s Facebook page.  Let me know you’ve done so with a comment here.
3. Like the brand new, Once A Runner, Always A Runner Facebook page (which desperately needs content now).
4. Like Level Renner’s Facebook page and blah, blah, blah, you know the drill now.

I’ll hold the drawing Wednesday, October 24, so get going on those entries!

ETA: Congratulations to Katy Gifford, our winner!  Don’t despair though if you weren’t picked, I’ll keep you in the running for the next two Honey Stinger products as well!

Disclosure: Honey Stinger sent me these products free of charge but all the opinions here are mine.

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Tags: chocolate waffles, Contest, energy, giveaway, honey stingers