My Experience with PreRace 3.0

by Jeff Rocco, MD

What’s in First Endurance PreRace 3.0?

First Endurance PreRace has long been a staple of endurance athletes, particularly those who are interested in getting the most out of their key sessions and races. The newest version of the product, PreRace 3.0, is a carefully formulated combination of performance enhancing ingredients based upon the latest research and designed to maximize mental focus, performance, and recovery.  

You may be familiar with some of the ingredients in PreRace 3.0, most notably caffeine and taurine, which are commonly found in many popular energy drinks. Caffeine is generally known to enhance performance by improving aerobic endurance performance, muscular endurance, and mental function, while the addition of taurine demonstrated further improved performance in a study by Karayigit, et al.

Perhaps the most significant addition to PreRace 3.0 is theacrine, which, when combined with caffeine, enhances the ergogenic benefits of the latter while toning down the negative effects of a large dose of caffeine, such as anxiety, jitteriness, insomnia, and elevated blood pressure. 

PreRace 3.0 also contains cacao extract, which is a source of theobromine.  Theobromine is a naturally occurring plant alkaloid found in coffee, tea, and chocolate, the major effect of which is an increase intracellular energy levels.  Other important effects include relaxation of smooth muscle, which improves ventilation in the lungs, and arterial vasodilation, which improves blood flow and delivery of oxygen to exercising muscle.  

Nitrosigine is a commercially available source of inositol-stabilized arginine silicate that improves nitric oxide production.  Nitric oxide promotes relaxation of vascular smooth muscle and subsequent dilation, which may favorably impact blood flow and augment mechanisms contributing to skeletal muscle performance, hypertrophy, and strength adaptations.  

Finally, PreRace 3.0 contains VitaCherry Sport, which is derived from Montmorency Tart Cherries.  Tart cherries are a rich source of polyphenols, which have been shown to have strong antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.  These properties are linked to improved recovery and reduced muscle soreness.  In a study looking at cyclists, tart cherry supplementation has been shown to improve exercise performance under hypoxia, lower oxidative stress, and increase tissue oxygenation compared to placebo.

For a more detailed look at the ingredients in PreRace 3.0, and the scientific studies underpinning them, read Dr. Luke Bucci’s excellent and informative research packet. 

Does It Work?

While the science behind PreRace 3.0 is fascinating, I wanted to put it to the test in a real-world setting to answer the most essential question: does it work? The setting I chose for my test was my regular five-hour backcountry ski tour, whose familiarity, I thought, would be beneficial in determining what benefits PreRace was providing.  I normally consume 500-750 mL of EFS on my way to the trailhead, and for this test I simply added one scoop of PreRace 3.0 to that bottle. 

As far as results, all I can say is, “WOW!”  I have had personal experience with all three versions of PreRace, and this one is a major step forward.  If the previous versions of PreRace were a naturally aspirated 4-cylinder engine, Pre Race 3.0 is a direct-injected V-8 with nitrous.  The feeling is that profound. About 30 minutes after consuming PreRace 3.0, I started to feel an increased mental clarity and noticed that while I was moving faster with a higher heart rate, it felt easy. Exercising at race pace typically requires significant effort, but with PreRace 3.0, I felt like I could comfortably maintain a heart rate in zone 4-5, and the feeling persisted throughout the tour. In retrospect, the only mistake I made was in my choice of setting: these tours typically involve five of us working together in zone 2-3, and it was all I could do to rein myself in and stay with the group. 

How I Use PreRace 3.0

Having used PreRace 3.0 for some time now, I’ve developed the following recommendations for maximizing the performance-enhancing effects: 

1. PreRace 3.0 is not a daily supplement like MultiV-PRO, HALO, or Optygen HP. Rather, it should be saved for race and interval days, where peak performance is required. For my personal use on race day, I try to consume breakfast two or more hours before the start, and a bottle of EFS one hour later. Then, around 20 minutes before the start, I drink another bottle of EFS with one scoop of PreRace 3.0, followed by a Liquid Shot on the start line. 

2. I find that it is easiest to mix PreRace 3.0 into a smaller bottle of water or EFS, so that it can be taken in one fell swoop. Like previous iterations of the product, PreRace 3.0 does not taste good; I liken it to an extremely bitter medicine with a faint aftertaste of cocoa. It is well described elsewhere, and First Endurance makes no apologies for the taste of the product. 

3. As with any other new supplement you add to your race day program, it’s best to experiment with PreRace 3.0 beforehand. Given the amount of caffeine in the formula, PreRace 3.0 will likely heighten the feeling of anticipation on the start line, and it’s better to know what to expect than to be surprised on the day of a target event. For those whose general caffeine intake is lower, it might be best to start with half a scoop of PreRace 3.0 and build up to a full scoop. 

Carbohydrate intake is even more essential when using PreRace 3.0, especially during longer endurance events. By making it easier to perform at higher output levels, PreRace 3.0 will also lead to a need for increased carbohydrate intake to keep up with energy demands. Without adequate carbohydrate support, performance will eventually falter.


References

Imagawa TF, Hirano I, Utsuki K, Horie M, Naka A, Matsumoto K, Imagawa S. Caffeine and taurine enhance endurance performance. Int J Sports Med. 2009 Jul;30(7):485-8. doi: 10.1055/s-0028-1104574. Epub 2009 May 19. PMID: 19455480.

Warren GL, Park ND, Maresca RD, McKibans KI, Millard-Stafford ML. Effect of caffeine ingestion on muscular strength and endurance: a meta-analysis. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2010 Jul;42(7):1375-87. doi: 10.1249/MSS.0b013e3181cabbd8. PMID: 20019636.

Levers K, Dalton R, Galvan E, Goodenough C, O'Connor A, Simbo S, Barringer N, Mertens-Talcott SU, Rasmussen C, Greenwood M, Riechman S, Crouse S, Kreider RB. Effects of powdered Montmorency tart cherry supplementation on an acute bout of intense lower body strength exercise in resistance trained males. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2015 Nov 16;12:41. doi: 10.1186/s12970-015-0102-y. PMID: 26578852; PMCID: PMC4647629.

Horiuchi M, Fukuoka Y, Koyama K, Oliver SJ. Five Days of Tart Cherry Supplementation Improves Exercise Performance in Normobaric Hypoxia. Nutrients. 2023 Jan 12;15(2):388. doi: 10.3390/nu15020388. PMID: 36678258; PMCID: PMC9864878.