Imitation is Not Always Flattering

Friday afternoon.

Me, skipping Friday classes in lieu of a very very long run in the East hills. I managed to knock out just under 12 miles and only walked during a much needed hydration stop.

Which reminds me.... stop..... making.... Gatorade.... knock-offs.... you hear me Coca-Cola and Pepsico?.... just stop. Stick with the colored sugar water you're good at and leave the sports drinks to the sports drink company.

I hit the Stop-and-Go at Menaul and Tramway around 2 p.m. and only had two dollars in my pocket. Guess what? The Gatorade was $1.99 plus tax and the Power-ade was $1.59 plus tax. Same size, same fridge, same color and flavor.

I'm a Gatorade traditionalist, lemon-lime, sometimes orange, never any other flavor. I've got the powder at home to make pitcher of the stuff, but nothing beats a frosty mini-mart refrigi-ated quart of athletic nectar.

There is simply no reason to try another product, especially when Gatorade is usually always available and works well to hydrate and recharge the carbohydrate deficit. But I smell a conspiracy in that this time the Gatorade could only be had for a price that seemed unusually high.

And after taking the bait (I only had $2), I now know it was only in order to push a far inferior product.

Let me just say that Power-ade left me wanting more... water... to quench my thirst... as a result of the cloying, chemical after-taste that the junk left behind. I drank a quart of it. Hey, I was really thirsty (it was in the mid-90's yesterday and for some reason the parks in Albuquerque lack water fountains). And while I didn't then pass out from dehydration, I did find myself with an upset stomach and a serious case of dry mouth. Needless to say, I've yet to experience either condition with the big-G.

Lesson learned, no harm done. Maybe this posting will save someone else from my mistake. Power-ade does have one redeeming quality, however. It's the same color as its better competitor. So, instead of wasting all that great Gatorade, why don't they fill up the coolers used to toss a celebratory shower on the coach with.... Power-ade.

Who'd know the difference?