Race Day ‘Goodies’? Hardly.

It happens far more often than not.  

Whether you’re a veteran runner or completing your first 5k, receiving a ‘goodie bag’  containing items such as those pictured above when registering for the event is all too common.

I decided this Sunday to accept the bag simply for purposes of blogging about it and taking a pic or two.  I almost wish I hadn’t.

In order of insult caused to the body if we were to ingest these items ((All underlined ingredients are not Paleo and are, therefore, quite inflammatory):

• The Builder Bar Incidentally, I wasn’t that taken aback by the inclusion of the sample size ‘Clif Builder Bar’, only because many people would likely think that’s a good food choice for before or after the race.    It may well be, were it not for the fact that it contains:  Soy Protein Isolate, Beet Juice Concentrate, Organic Brown Rice Syrup, Organic Dried Cane Syrup, Palm Kernel Oil, Organic Rolled Oats, Unsweetened Chocolate, Cocoa, Organic Soy Protein Concentrate, Vegetable Glycerin, Natural Flavors, Organic Almonds, Rice Starch, Cocoa Butter, Inulin (Chicory Extract), Organic Flaxseed, Organic Oat Fiber, Organic Sunflower Oil,  Soy Lecithin, Salt. 
• Emerald Breakfast On The Go Oatmeal Clusters (Whole Grain Rolled Oats, Evaporated Cane Syrup, Whole Grain Rolled Wheat, Canola Oil, Oat Flour, Corn Syrup, Whey [Milk], Natural Flavor, Salt, Cinnamon, Soy Lecithin), Maple Glazed Almonds (Lightly Roasted Almonds, Sugar, Corn Syrup, Natural Flavors, Sea Salt, Canola Oil, Soy Lecithin [an Emulsifier]), Almonds, Raisins (Raisins, Sunflower Oil).
• Real Food Corn Thins MAIZE (99%),SUNFLOWER OIL,SEA SALT. This product illustrates beautifully the ability of corn to be used as a packaging material.  Oh, wait!  This was meant to be something one should eat before or after a race!  Silly me…

The fourth and final item needs its own introduction.  I cannot even begin to express how appalling this product was.  I particularly liked the special touch of the tag line on the jar that it is both ‘natural’ and ‘vegan’.  This ‘spread’ actually has the cookies mixed right in! Here we go:

• Lotus Biscoff Spread  Biscoff 57% (wheat flour, sugar,vegetable oils including soy, sunflower, canola, palm), soy flour, brown sugar, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, canola oil, sugar, soy lecithin

When are we going to stop spreading the silly misconception that ‘athletes just need calories and it doesn’t matter the source’?

This is beyond ridiculous.  

Push your body, train hard and then shovel in the junk?

Could I please just have an apple instead of a goodie bag of crap?