By Miles Frank
Go longer & simplify
The longer you plan to go out for, usually the more complicated and confusing the food question gets. Well with Perpetuem, we’ve developed a method and menu that is dependable, adaptable, and efficient when both time and cost are factored in. The beauty and simplicity of Perpetuem is that bottles and flasks can be mixed thicker and reserved as fuel sources, adding bars, gels, fruits, and veggies when you want to chew for a change. The adaptability of the product since it can be your sole fuel source for 6+ hours, or a partial fuel source if you have more time and space to bring along other calorie options.
Mix according to your liking
Super light peak climbers and ultrarunners always want to cut weight and volume out of their packs—and on the other side of the divide bikepackers and paddlers often want to carry days of fuel for their adventures. The lucky part is that both camps get exactly what they’re after—a calorically dense bottle or flask for when every ounce matters, and a packable, easily digested fuel that mixes up as thin as you prefer for your all day or multi day stages.
Use stored fat more effectively
Since even the thinnest of athletes keep a few thousand calories close by in the form of fat, it will only help your endurance to burn a few of those calories while you’re outside. Luckily, the body is happy to use fat as a fuel source when carbs and a very small amount of healthy fat is consumed in combination during exercise. That’s the reasoning behind the 2.5 grams of Fat per serving, a question we get more than you’d think.
Keep your electrolytes separate
While many “endurance” drink mix formulas on the market attempt to pack in sodium and potassium for everything you need in one bottle—reality usually gets in the way of this well intentioned plan. The nearly limitless combinations of athlete types, weather, humidity, and workout intensity create many issues that—fortunately—can be easily and quickly addressed. Our experience diagnosing these issues nearly always include consuming our well-rounded Endurolytes formula we pioneered more than 20 years ago; along with liberating your fuel source (in this case Perpetuem) from your electrolytes intake in Endurolytes, Fizz, or Endurolytes Extreme. The caveat to this rule is an athlete using Endurolytes Extreme Powder in their mix of Perpetuem, that way you may still add more on the hottest days and cut back slightly on the cooler days.
Fuel right & feel great
Our super special blend of micros and macros, first developed in the early ‘90s with Sustained Energy, is ideal for long, hard hauls. Everything we learned with Sustained Energy evolved into the slightly more complex make of Perpetuem; a unique 8:1 ratio of complex carbohydrates to proteins, including maltodextrin and soy protein isolate, alongside nutrients that help protect the gut and help your body get more out of each and every calorie consumed from your bottle of Perpetuem.
Protect lean muscle mass so you can do it again next time
For stage racers, pros, beginners, and weekend warriors alike, no athlete wants to go one step forward and two steps back! That’s why the 8:1 ratio of carbs to protein was devised to simultaneously help your muscles from being cannibalized for energy production, as well as get a jumpstart on the recovery process, meaning the void you need to fill at the end of the day is smaller. In order to keep your fueling simple and let your body keep and strengthen muscle fibers—Perpetuem is your answer for activities longer than 3 hours.
Outro
While we may have developed products that are easier to pronounce, Perpetuem is nonetheless the preferred long distance fuel for hikers, runners, racers, and long distance adventurers for its ease of use, reliability, and consistency when well stocked stores and picnic tables are few and far between. Mix up a flask or bottle and enjoy your time outside!
Photo: Miles rides the back roads through Star Meadows fueled by Perpetuem.
