The moment I turned 30, I became anxious about my health. Although I do believe that age is just a number, nature does not always agree. I decided to take up running because it was easy to do… so I thought.

"Now when I’m running, my joints are far less of a distraction." 

My joints did not agree with the new strain I was putting on my body.  I was really hurting. Some days, hip and knee pain were overwhelming that I had to stop. Muscle soreness was so bad the next day I could barely walk. I stretched, limbered up, did everything I thought was right. But still, I was in a lot of pain. The only solution I found online was that a lot of runners take Advil or Ibuprofen to manage the pain. That sounded awful. I wanted to run so I could get healthy. Not take drugs and still have to run. I began to hate my decision to start in the first place.

So Long Pill Popping

When I spoke to my doctor during a routine checkup, I mentioned the miserable time I was having. He began to school me on inflammation. How everything I was feeling was caused by inflammation. And that runners didn’t just take Advil and Ibuprofen for pain, but more specifically to reduce inflammation which in turn reduces pain. Being the great doctor that he is, rather than recommending a prescription drug, he told me to try CBD.

He also reminded me as a warning, there’s a difference between inflammation and injury. You need to listen to your own body to know the difference. But if you are experiencing soreness, fatigue, and joint pain that comes and goes, the issue is more likely inflammation than anything else.

Not All CBD Is Equal

I was skeptical about CBD at first since every product on the market now has some type of CBD in it for one reason or another. But what I learned was that not all CBD is made the same. One thing to look out for is CBD Isolate, which has been found to do very little if not anything at all. It’s also the type of CBD that most random products put in their formula. Broad Spectrum and Full Spectrum CBD is where it’s at. With more of the natural properties in the CBD, the effects are dramatically different in all the best ways possible.  And the effect that I was looking for (anti-inflammation) was the one thing most experts agreed on as a known benefit of CBD. My next step was trying some product. Did you know that CBD is super bitter and kind of gross?  Because I didn’t. I tried some tinctures and chalky drinks, but I could not force myself to do it regularly.

Then I discovered OFFFIELD. They focus entirely on making the best CBD products possible specifically for working out. Their Enhanced Hydration stick packs were pretty much made for me. Focused on hydration (which everyone needs) and packed with amazing vitamins, minerals, adaptogens, CBD and CBG, it gave me everything I needed for my run and then some. Best part, the flavor is great. Super subtle and not too sweet, unlike most sports drinks. And because of the other great ingredients, the bitterness of the CBD is balanced.  

Enjoyment Leads To Improvement

Although I started taking OFFFIELD for inflammation, I found that my overall experience with it was better. My energy improved. My enjoyment for running improved. Now when I’m running, my joints are far less of a distraction. And when I’m waking up in the morning the next day, I feel young again. Because I agree, age is just a number.