Last year, I ran my first-ever marathon…and crushed it.

14 years before the big event, I remember sitting at my uncomfortable little desk surrounded by my fellow high school classmates writing all the cliché little to-dos on their crinkled, imperfect notebook paper bucket lists.

The first thing I wrote: run a marathon.

It took me 14 years, but hey, I did it.

Between those 14 years, I ran on and off, but never more than six miles—and it stayed that way until I logged onto the Eugene Marathon website, dropped 160 dollars, and committed to running 26.2 miles on April 30, 2023.

Yup, the longest run I had ever done before signing up was six miles. But, when my sister and stepdad randomly mentioned they wanted to run a marathon, I had to hop on board (too much FOMO).

Four months before the big day, the training began. I would be lying if I said I wasn’t intimidated by the feat in front of me, but if there was one thing I knew would comfort me, it was this: being properly prepared.

And what’s the most important, absolutely crucial part of running a marathon? Hydration.

But, here’s the thing: we can’t just drink water to stay in tip-top hydration shape. The science is simple: when you sweat, you lose salt. When you hydrate you need to get that salt back to help avoid headaches, muscle cramps, and fatigue.⁠ And let me tell ya, I was sweatin’.

The good news: replacing that salt ain’t so hard when you’re stocked up with the best of the best. Enter the real salt dealer, aka LMNT, whose founders emphasize that we need to pay as much attention to our electrolytes (which we lose when we sweat) as we do our food. A growing body of research reveals that optimal health outcomes occur at sodium levels two to three times government recommendations.

And, yeah, okay, I can’t give LMNT all of the credit, but I mean it when I say I could not have gone through those long, grueling training runs without those glorious little salty-sweet life savers.

But what sets this salty. sweet and quenching AF treat apart from the whole squad of electrolyte products on the market? Well, it’s not just a drop in the ocean of options. With 1000 mg of sodium for cell hydration, 60 mg of magnesium for energy and muscle mojo, and 200 mg of potassium playing the yin to sodium’s yang, it’s a powerhouse balancing act that keeps us feeling charged up and steady.

The cherry on top? This product has no extra fluff—zero sugar, artificial colors, gluten, or fillers. No BS.⁠ This stuff isn’t a sham—it’s a lot of science from a founder who knows his salt.

I’ll be honest, the one struggle I have with LMNT is that I am straight-up addicted to how it makes me feel—in the best way possible. Yeah, I could not have crushed my marathon without it, but I also feel like I couldn’t crush any day without it now. (Psst…I know I can go a day without it, but why wouldn’t I want to feel like Superwoman?) 

What I’m trying to say is that we don’t need to be out brutalizing our legs, running ungodly distances to become dehydrated and in need of some electrolyte re-infusion. I don’t know about ya’ll, but sometimes, drinking plain water just doesn’t hit the way I want it to (and getting enough in can be a struggle). To all you plain water haters: life just got so much easier.

These salty-sweet thirst-quenchers are the ultimate everyday companion—and there are so many different ways we can sneak ’em into our daily routine. Whether you’re training for a marathon or nursing a hangover, these delicious mixes work like magic (and save our butts every damn day).

Here are Elephant’s favorite ways to enjoy LMNT (through the seasons):

>> We always add ’em to our smoothies:

 

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>> We slip ’em into our margaritas:

>> We take ’em with us on the trail:

>> We never travel without ’em:

>> We drink ’em on every adventure:

>> We have our kiddos help (Mamas, you especially need these!)

>> We spice (salt) up our morning coffee:

>> We add ’em to hot chocolate:

>> We make the yummiest of treats:

>> And we’re sooo excited about the new Sparkling Water release:

 

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Stay Salty <3