In this exclusive interview, Jeremy Miller spills the secret sauce on why he uses 2before - how it's helped him run faster and recover faster. Support Jeremy by using the code JMILLER at checkout for $10 off.
How Has 2before Helped Me Run Faster?
2before is an all-natural pre-workout powder derived from blackcurrant berries which are very commonly found in New Zealand. All this stuff is manufactured in New Zealand, I've been using this stuff for the last five to six months now and I wanted to go over it in depth and tell you guys:
- why I use blackcurrant powder for running
- all the benefits of it for energy, endurance and recovery
- how you might be able to benefit by taking 2before blackcurrant before your next run
So with that being said, I'm going to dive into it and go through everything.
So, like I mentioned, I've been taking this product for the last five to six months every single morning.
I take it before I run in the morning, I also take it before any kind of big workout or a race. I used it:
- before the Woodland's half marathon where I ran a personal best
- before the Boston Marathon where I also ran a personal best
- before my 50k race about a month ago
- this last weekend during my 50-mile ultra marathon.
It's a super versatile product - it's got a ton of performance benefits, it's got immune benefits, there are so many great things in here.
Fortunately, I've never had any stomach issues or GI issues with this product. I'll take it on an empty stomach I'll take it with food in my stomach I've had zero issues with this and it tastes amazing.
It tastes like a tart cherry, basically; it truly makes a noticeable difference for recovery and performance during a workout.
What are the benefits of blackcurrant powder for runners?
There have been a number of studies that have shown blackcurrant powder improves athletic performance, especially for endurance athletes, so this study showed that
- cycling times improved
- running times improved
- and when you're doing repetitive intervals [those also improved]
I'm gonna read off a list of some of the mechanisms that they tested during those studies that showed an improved function for:
- cardiovascular
- anti-inflammatory
- oxidative stress management
- metabolic improvements
Basically, what that means is, if you consistently take blackcurrant powder before your workouts you will have an increase and improvement in your cardio and overall athletic performance.
There's more detailed information here about the science behind blackcurrants and athletic performance.
In addition to that, there are also studies that show that if you take blackcurrant powder before a workout it kick-starts your body's recovery system.
That way it takes less time to recover following a big workout and there are also a lot of immunity benefits when you take it on just a daily basis.
How it Works
Now, how does this all work, and what makes the black currant berry so special for runners?
Again, I'm just going to read this off of here because it's kind of technical and sciencey and I don't want to mess it up!
Due to the optimal growing conditions for black currants in New Zealand specifically with its fertile soils, long hours of UV exposure and wide seasonal weather variability, New Zealand black currants develop dark purple outer skins which is where the anthocyanins are found in rich abundance.
What are Anthocyanins?
Now, you might be asking what are anthocyanins?
Anthocyanins are a class of compounds called flavonoids, they are a type of pigment found in plants that give fruits and vegetables their vibrant colors. Many fruits and vegetables with red blue and purple coloring tend to have high levels of anthocyanins such as
- beets
- cherries
- blackberries
- blueberries
- blackcurrant berries
Why Not Just Eat the Berry?
So you might be asking, why don't I just eat the blackcurrant berry? Why don't I just eat some of these other berries every day?
I'll tell you why.
In order to get the full benefits of those anthocyanins you need to make sure you're eating enough of them. In order to get that, the best way to do it is through a measured, concentrated amount.
In each sachet of 2before you know exactly how much you're getting - you're getting the right dosage for your run.
Each one of these packets has 120 milligrams of anthocyanins straight from the blackcurrant juice concentrate, meaning you know exactly how much you're getting and you know that you're getting enough of anthocyanins to actually be making a difference rather than just guessing by eating a handful of berries.
How do You Use Blackcurrant Powder?
So how do I take 2before blackcurrant powder every day and how do I implement it into my running routine?
The folks over at 2before use science to recommend that you take it about 30 to 60 minutes before a run or workout. Again, this is going to kickstart that recovery process for your body and make sure that the compounds get into your body so they can start functioning and you can start reaping the benefits.
If I don't have a big workout or a race I still take this every single morning. I'll wake up in the morning and before I go on my run. Usually within the first 30 minutes of getting out of bed I will have one packet - this one has no caffeine and this one has 120 milligrams of caffeine which is about two cups of coffee worth of caffeine.
Blackcurrants v Beets
I know a lot of you guys have probably heard of the benefits of beet juice.
I talk about beet juice all the time - studies show that drinking beet juice can result in about 2.8 % improvement in athletic performance!
However, with black currant powder it's about 4.6%, so almost double what you get from beet juice.
I know a lot of people hate the taste of beet juice - I actually don't mind it, it tastes a little bit like dirt - but that is one of the other benefits of blackcurrant powder: not only do you get more benefits from an athletic perspective but you also don't have to drink dirt because these taste pretty good!
Why I Use 2before
With all that being said, I have truly enjoyed taking 2before blackcurrant all natural pre-workout powder and I truly would recommend it to anybody who is looking to:
- benefit their immune system
- speed up your recovery after runs or workouts
- or improve any kind of athletic endurance or athletic performance
If you guys are interested in trying it out, you can use code JMiller to save ten dollars on your first order.
I hope you guys got something out of this video, I hope that you go and give 2before a shot because I've truly, truly enjoyed it and I've been able to see the benefits so I want you guys to experience that as well.
Thanks for tuning into the video, thank you so much for watching. Make sure to subscribe, like, comment, ask any questions, share it with a friend all that good stuff and we'll see you guys in the next video.
