If your timeline looks anything like mine, it’s been taken over by Black women crossing finish lines. From half (and full) marathons, triathlons, Spartan races, mud runs, HYROX races — we are out here, literally.
And I’m not going to lie, seeing women who look like you do hard things makes you think, well, maybe I could too. And I did! I caught the bug last month after competing my first HYROX race (I’m still on a high from that moment) and shortly after, now have a race calendar that makes absolutely no sense for someone who was not a runner three months ago. My summer/fall calendar looks like: two more HYROX events, a 10K, and a half marathon.
The thing I wasn’t prepared for? How much the food matters. When you’re training seriously, protein stops being a suggestion and starts being the thing your entire day is organized around. I’ve been testing a lot of products to figure out what actually works for my schedule and my body, not just what sounds good on paper. Here’s what has genuinely made the cut.
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Chobani High-Protein On-The-Go Shakes
For early training mornings when there’s no time to think about breakfast, these shakes are the easiest solution. High protein, actually filling, and ready to grab on the way out the door.
GORGIE already had a following as a clean energy drink, and their new Protein Energy Drink adds 8 grams of protein to the mix without any artificial sweeteners. I’ve used this before workouts and also on those 3pm slumps when I still have emails to answer.
Once you start using this consistently during heavy training weeks, plain water starts to feel like it’s barely doing the job. I noticed the difference almost immediately, especially on longer run days when water alone was not cutting it.
Fresh, chef-made meals already built around solid macros, so on the nights when training takes everything out of you, dinner doesn’t have to feel like a chore.
Fourteen to fifteen grams of protein per bagel in flavors like Everything, Blueberry, and Cinnamon Raisin, proves that eating carbs doesn’t have to feel like a punishment. Their Protein Bread is worth grabbing too, with 10 grams of protein and 6 grams of fiber per serving.
Plant-based bars with 15 grams of protein, and the added probiotics are a nice bonus, especially when your routine is all over the place during training.
Zero sugar, genuinely good flavors like Blood Orange and Strawberry Blossom, and a full serving of collagen per can that’s clinically shown to support skin and joints. It’s one of those daily habits that’s easy to stick to because it doesn’t feel like taking a supplement.
Fifteen grams of protein and ready in 90 seconds, which on a hard training morning is exactly the kind of simple solution you need. They taste good enough that you’ll actually want to eat them, which is not always a given with convenient protein options.
With 15 grams of protein, minimal sugar, and enough fiber to keep you full, these bars have no chalky aftertaste, which honestly is the first thing I look for in any protein bar. They’re flexible enough for a post-run snack or just something to hold you over between meals.
This is what I reach for when I cannot do another thick protein shake. It drinks like juice, which feels borderline suspicious, but it gets the job done.
Drop one in your water bottle and you have a solid electrolyte blend with barely any sugar, certified for both daily and recovery hydration. It makes drinking enough water feel way less like something I have to force.
