[[{“value”:”When I first beganadding a bit of cannabis to my evening runsin 2012, edibles were wildly unpredictable in their dosage and effects, made up primarily of the leftover sugar trim from the plant. When I wrote the bookRunner’s High: How a Movement of Stoned Athletes Is Changing the Science of Sportseight years later, edibles companies were just beginning to catch on to the fact that both recreational and professional runners had been using the substance for years (centuries, really) and began creating products designed for the experience.
Today, the market is flooded with edibles for physical activity and recovery. Utilizing cannabinoids like CBG for energy, CBD for inflammation, CBC for pain relief and mood stabilization, and the old standby THC for passion and pleasure, products on dispensary shelves today offer ultra-specific effects to enhance physical activity, aided at times by non-cannabis substances like caffeine, ginseng, L-theanine or melatonin.
And since these products vary so greatly in their recipes and approaches to the endocannabinoid system, I took it upon myself to sample some edibles for running in Colorado, where recreational cannabis began and long-distance running is relatively common. (Kids, sometimes it literally pays to do drugs.)
I tried to keep these runs as formulaic as possible, completing them all in Denver’s Cheesman Park with a similar pace and distance — but as every runner knows, there are countless variables influencing how the body experiences each run, which is also true for a cannabis high. Although this was my subjective experience and yours could be different, here’s how ten different cannabis gummies, drinks and other edible combinations fared after lacing up.
Dialed In Rosin Gummies
Ten milligrams of THC per piece
Strain: Super Lemon haze x Gupta Kush #22
I love budtenders who geek out with me over the manufacturing process of an edible (and loathe those who know nothing beyond its flavor). I’ve met several who will go on all day about Dialed In’s gummies, solventless rosin edibles crafted in small batches to retain the plant’s terpenes and flavonoids.
Dialed In gummies were marketed to me as “the ultimate pre-run” edible by my budtender, and I got a nice, smooth, clear-headed high during my first night jogging around Cheesman Park — though I can’t say I felt terribly energized, and never felt a drive to push myself very hard. This could be due to the cold wind that night, and the fact that I’d been on a plane earlier in the day. But it was a pleasant experience, and Dialed In was an ideal edible for an easy recovery run, followed by a long stretch.
Flower Union Boost Gummies
Strain: Lindsay Lohan
Ten milligrams of THC per piece, paired with two hits of Lindsay Lohan flower
I’ve been a longtime advocate of decarbing your own flower to make edibles at home. It’s cost-effective and allows you to eat all of the nutrients and cannabinoids without any of the byproducts contained in most gummies. According to Flower Union, the Boost gummy is “the first and only edible on the market to deliver a whole-flower cannabis experience,” with the brand using straight decarbed flower in its products.
I found this very exciting, and was further titillated when Flower Union’s publicist encouraged me to pair this edible with smoking a couple of hits of the same strain of flower used in the edible: Lindsay Lohan, grown by Boulder Built Cannabis.
Like Lohan herself, this mixture gave me a superhuman excess of energy and hubris, hitting the Cheesman trail like a tabloid teen in 2006. This certainly delivered the momentum and zeal I’m looking for, and would be great for a short, fast-paced run. However, my heart rate kept drifting above the ideal threshold for a long run (or to achieve the euphoric bliss of a runner’s high, as an excessive heart rate will trigger the release of cortisol), forcing me to stop a few times to settle down.
This is why I typically prefer edibles over flower on a run. Smoking cannabis can deliver a wonderful high, but, like sugar or caffeine, the effects often spike and then dip fairly quickly; edibles are more slow and steady, the tortoise to flower’s hare. Perhaps the Flower Union gummy on its own would’ve kept me in the cardio sweet spot — but pairing it with flower, though it led to a wonderful high, was too much for a balanced run.
Dialed In was one the legal cannabis industry’s first rosin gummy manufacturers.
Dialed In
Offfield Watermelon Mint gummy
Three milligrams of hemp-derived THC per gummy, along with:
Forty milligrams of CBD
Ten milligrams of CBG
Ten milligrams of yerba mate caffeine
Strain not listed
Paired with Offfield Dragon Fruit Lemonade beverage
Five milligrams of hemp-derived THC per can, along with:
Ten milligrams of CBD
Ten milligrams of CBG
100 milligrams of L-theanine
Strain not listed
There’s a lot to unpack when it comes to hemp-derived cannabinoids versus cannabis sold at dispensaries, which I’ll leave in your hands. I’ve included Offfield’s products on this list because it is perhaps the edible most marketed to and designed for athletes, creating an entourage effect of various cannabinoids that collectively stimulate the release of anandamide (the endogenous cannabinoid responsible for the evolutionary gift of the “runner’s high.”)
“Our goal isn’t to get you ‘stoned,’ but to mimic the natural effects of a runner’s high,” according to Offfield.
With just enough THC to kick the other cannabinoids into gear, Offfield’s products provide a mild body high and gentle lift of spirits that would be ideal for those new to stoned running — or just before a long run, keeping your heart and mind steady while managing pain and inflammation.
However, I’m often looking to get a little sideways on my evening runs, and need the cerebral pinch of a high-dose sativa edible (anywhere between ten to twenty milligrams of THC), giving me a heady euphoria that makes songs like the Smashing Pumpkins’ “Tonight, Tonight” sound damn good, driving my legs to push a little harder and faster.
I did feel lightly energized during my run with Offfield, which could be attributed to the CBG, and the stiffness in my knees and the plantar fasciitis in my left foot were both reduced, potentially from the anti-inflammatory properties of the CBD, giving me a gentler, pain-free run.
The Myx
Ten milligrams THC per pack
Strain not listed
Recreational edibles can often be loaded with all kinds of sugar, corn syrup, bone meal and God knows what else that can get in the way of feeling good on a run. And, as stated before, far too much of this industry is obsessed with taste (an experience that lasts mere seconds) as opposed to a specific neurobiological effect, which can last hours.
That’s why I really love the Myx, a powdered cannabis I stirred into some watermelon juice before my run. It doesn’t taste good or bad, because it has no taste whatsoever. Sports drinks suffer from the same problem as edibles, so the freedom that Myx gives you to turn any beverage into a THC tonic offers a lot of freedom for those sick of downing 36 grams of sugar in a bottle of Gatorade.
I took a double dose of the Myx before my run (I’d had a bit of a day). This certainly got me in the headspace I’m looking for in a stoned run, making PJ Harvey and Christopher Cross sound like gods in my headphones. But while my spirit soared, my plantar fasciitis returned with a vengeance halfway through my run, suggesting the Myx (which is exclusively THC) might not have the anti-inflammatory properties of other products. Still, I had a blast.
Olio’s Sour Raspberry Traditional Rosin Gummies
Ten milligrams of THC per gummy
Strain not listed
For picky eaters in need of a little scrumptious encouragement with your dose of cannabis, I highly recommend Olio’s rosin gummies. I must admit: They are delicious and gave me one hell of a good time on my run.
I was impressed to learn that they don’t contain any corn syrup, animal products or artificial flavors or colors, deriving these elements directly from fruits and vegetables.
While there were none of the anti-inflammatory effects of Offfield’s products, I still found myself with a decent amount of energy running on these edibles, feeling strong and motivated to charge up the hills when headed north on the Cheesman Park trail. However, I did take an Offfield product when I got home, as my feet and knees were not happy with how hard I pushed them.
With all edibles, I typically recommend timing your dose so that you’re already out of the house before the cannabis takes hold. A gentle bit of warm-up cardio can be a great way to stimulate the endocannabinoid system in harmony with the phytocannabinoids of your edible. This is all the more true with Olio: You definitely wouldn’t want the munchies to take hold while still at home, or you might be tempted to eat a dozen of these little drops of Heaven.
Bonanza Electric Raspberry Sativa Gummies
Strain Not Listed
Ten milligrams of THC, along with:
Five milligrams of CBG
It’s possible that I’m primed to dislike hemp-derived THC, but I have to say that I felt the energizing effects of the CBG more prominently with Bonanza’s edible than with Offfield’s, giving me a wind in my sails as I listened to the Beatles’ “Hey Bulldog” on a sunny afternoon. Offfield’s effects were subtle and gentle, while Bonanza’s were loud and proud.
With a 45-minute onset, they take much longer than the Myx or Flower Union products (both of which hit me in around fifteen to twenty minutes), but they’re worth the wait. I felt a great deal of creative inspiration on this run, dictating notes into my phone for a book project while circling the outer trail of Cheesman Park. After jogging home, I still had enough energy for a quick HIIT workout…before collapsing into a puddle for the rest of the night.
The Myx THC powder can be mixed into food or drink with minimal impact on flavor.
The Myx
Tastebudz Palisade Peach Gummies
Five milligrams of THC per gummy, along with:
FIve milligrams of THCV
Strain not listed
When it comes to the future of edibles for athletes, it’s all about THCV, the non-psychoactive cousin of THC. Research suggests that this cannabinoid delivers powerful anti-inflammatory and anti-anxiety effects. And for those pursuing exercise to lose weight, THCV has also been found to work as an appetite suppressant. (This might not be ideal for weightlifters or ultramarathoners, who need the appetite stimulation of THC to down an elephant’s worth of calories each day.)
Tastebudz 1:1 gummies facilitated a very joyful, high-energy run for me, keeping my legs feeling light and my breath steady, while the Pet Shop Boys and Motörhead soundtracked a gorgeous sunset. I’ve heard people refer to Tastebudz edibles as “weederall,” since it provides such a boost of energy and focus. (Though as someone who knows the turbulent comedown from Adderall all too well, I can say that this edible won’t leave you feeling like a skydiving zombie when it’s all over.) I highly recommend Tastebudz for long runs, as it’s a steady, long-lasting high that’s great for endurance. Just take a hit of something else when you get home and need to down some carbs and protein.
Wana Quick Lift Gummies
Five milligrams of THC per gummy, along with:
Five milligrams of THCV
Five milligrams of CBD
Strain not listed
Wana was one of the first edibles companies to design a product specifically for physical activity with its Wana Fit Gummies, but, for whatever reason, that line was discontinued a few years back (bummer, because I was a big fan). The Quick Lift Gummies, however, are even better — and, quite possibly, my favorite pre-run edible on the market today.
With a five- to fifteen-minute onset, according to Wana, you can pop one in just as you head out the door, with that gentle euphoria and hungry energy sneaking up your legs just as your heart rate begins to climb. Beyond the cannabinoids listed on their packaging, there’s something about the Wana Quick Lift recipe, or the way it’s produced, that has always facilitated the kind of running experiences that made me fall in love with exercise in the first place.
While I’m far too vain and insecure to share the numbers of my pace or distance (and, for God’s sake, don’t look for me on Strava), I will say that my run with Quick Lift was the fastest of them all, inspiring me to run an extra lap around Cheesman (to a soundtrack of Arcade Fire and XTC), just for fun.
Wyld’s Grapefruit Sativa Gummies
Ten milligrams of THC, along with:
Ten milligrams of CBG
Ten milligrams of CBC
Strain not listed
I’m not sure why there aren’t more edibles on the market offering the entourage effect of CBC and CBG, because the effects are outstanding. I took this edible a bit late, eating it just as I was heading out the door. The first ten minutes of any run are usually the worst, as the endocannabinoid system typically needs at least thirty minutes of running at 70 percent heart rate to release the good-times feelings of anandamide (though a proper edible can reduce that time to ten minutes).
I was a bit worn out after running every day for this project (typically I only run three to five times a week) and was struggling to find my groove — until this baby kicked in. The sun had set, and I felt like I was running on the moon, each step carrying me several times farther than reality would suggest. Smiling at dogs as Spoon’s “The Way We Get By” rang in my ears, I ran alongside the ghosts of Cheesman Park with a giant grin on my face.
Up until now, Wana was the product that gave me the greatest speed and endurance of any on this list, but I completed several extra laps (at an even faster pace) with Wyld, feeling like a child who refused to stop playing and come home for dinner.
Perhaps it was the 1:1:1 blend of cannabinoids, or the sunflower lecithin and coconut oil in the gummies (cannabis is fat-soluble, so it’s enhanced and stabilized by the presence of good fats in your system), or the limonene, alpha-pinene, beta-pinene and valencene terpenes in the edible, but something about this grapefruit gummy gave me a serious boost of holistic energy and passion that made me a better, faster runner who craved the experience above all else.
“}]] From ultra-marathoners to light joggers, people have taken to edibles for better experiences and physical recovery. We tested ten to see what works best. Read More
