How One Moment Led to a Nutrition Innovation

Athletes and nutrition go hand in hand. For athletes competing in events like 50’s, 100’s, and even 24-hour or multi-day marathon events, the nutrition they receive is all the more important, as it not only gets them through the event in question but also helps their bodies heal for whatever comes next in the day or week ahead.

Similarly, each of us can likely recall a moment when we felt at our lowest, whether physically, mentally, or both. If we’re fortunate, that moment isn’t digitally recorded for all to see. For one athlete and entrepreneur, however, that is precisely how this moment came: with his head in a trash can after completing his first Leadville 100 race.

"Yet, finishing my first Leadville 100 with my head in a trash can barfing up Muesli was actually a pivotal moment," says Tailwind co-founder Jeff Vierling on his company’s website. "Unbeknownst to me, it was Tailwind’s humble beginnings. And the point in which I became my own guinea pig."

In true entrepreneurial fashion, Jeff set out to create a source of viable nutrition that combined bodily fuel like electrolytes as well as hydration that wouldn’t leave his stomach — or that of other athletes like him — in shambles.

"Not all stomachs can handle the sticky sweetness or hard-to-digest molecules found in most nutrition products," said Jeff. "Sipping Tailwind provides steady, small doses of fuel that pass right through the stomach. The composition of Tailwind’s fuel matches what the gut is made to absorb, so Tailwind enters your system quickly, without taxing the digestive tract."

Like any winning consumer product, Jeff worked tirelessly to perfect the formula for the beverages he would craft and eventually release under the Tailwind brand. After delivering the beta formula to nearly 100 different volunteers, he received an email from one beta tester named Lisa. Lisa mentioned that she had dropped out of almost every mountain bike race she entered around the 70-mile marker. However, after trying one of Tailwind’s products, she was able to go on to complete the Shenandoah Mountain 100 race on Tailwind without any issues.

"We didn’t even have a name for Tailwind at that point, but that emai [from Lisa]l pushed us over the edge to start our company," Jeff said. "What made it so meaningful for Lisa, made it meaningful for us. To help people achieve goals that meant so much to them, cranked the ‘commitment’ dial up for us. And honestly, that’s the best part of starting Tailwind. We look forward to Sundays and Mondays because we hear about all the amazing journeys our customers have had. We wouldn’t be here without you, and we remind ourselves of that everyday. In fact, at our weekly company meeting we start off with a note or picture from one of our customers."

To date, Jeff and his co-founder/wife Jenny have created an array of products for Tailwind, including recovery drinks, endurance fuel drinks, and soft flasks that allow athletes to bring Tailwind with them wherever they go. Each of Tailwind’s products are crafted to offer athletes a complete source of energy and hydration with better absorption while remaining easy on the body’s digestive system, unlike many other similar products on the market today that are overloaded with sugar, artificial sweeteners, and chemicals.

To learn more about Tailwind and its line of products, visit www.tailwindnutrition.com today.

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