Okay, so I’ve been hearing a lot about beet juice and how it can supposedly boost athletic performance. I was pretty skeptical, but I figured, what the heck, I’ll give it a shot. I’m training for a half-marathon, so any little edge could help, right?
My Beet Juice Experiment
First things first, I had to get some beets. I went to the grocery store and grabbed a bunch – the regular, deep red kind. I could’ve bought pre-made beet juice, but I wanted to try making it myself. Seemed fresher that way.
The Prep Work
- I washed the beets really well, chopped off the tops and bottoms, and then roughly chopped them into smaller pieces. My hands turned totally purple in the process!
- I threw the beet chunks into my juicer. It made this really loud, grinding noise, but eventually, I had this deep, dark red juice. Honestly, it looked a little intimidating.
The Taste Test
I took a big gulp, and…wow. It was earthy. Like, REALLY earthy. I’m not gonna lie, it wasn’t exactly delicious. I added a squeeze of lemon and a little bit of ginger to try and make it more palatable. That helped a bit, but it was still pretty intense.
The Workout
About an hour after drinking the beet juice, I headed out for my run. I usually do a 6-mile loop, and I try to keep a pretty consistent pace. I won’t say I felt like I was suddenly flying, but it did seem like my breathing was a little easier. My legs also felt a bit… fresher? It’s hard to describe.
The Results (So Far)
I did shave a few seconds off my usual time, but I’m not sure if that’s entirely down to the beet juice. It could’ve been a placebo effect, or maybe I just had a good running day. I’m going to keep experimenting with this for a few weeks, drinking beet juice before my longer runs, and see if I notice a more significant difference. I’ll also try different recipes and maybe mix some other fruits to make me love the taste!
I’ll keep you all posted on my progress! Has anyone else tried beet juice for sports? Let me know your experiences!
