Dark Horses Hits the Home Run with Post Workout Nutrition Bars
Today sees the launch of Home Run, a sports nutrition bar designed specifically for workers to fuel their post-work workouts and help them navigate their commute to and from work if they don’t want to use public transport post-lockdown.
As well as delivering a plant-based energy source made from quality whole food ingredients specifically designed to deliver a nutrient-dense, sustained supply of energy, Home Run also offers the Home Run Commuter Router - a buddy scheme for new runners or cyclists nervous about navigating their new journey home.
Commuters looking to join the club will simply need to answer a few questions about their journey and level of ability and they will be matched with a Home Run buddy who will work out their best commute and run/ride with them (at a safe distance) to their final destination.
Steve Howell, creative partner at Dark Horses, said: “We understand that people may be apprehensive about taking public transport again, but also worried about running or cycling in the city for the first time. And that’s not a good feeling - especially when all you want to do is get home after a long day. Our Home Run Commuter Routers will take all of that stress away.”
The bar is being launched by sports creative agency Dark Horses, and backed by Manor Gyms and the Take FL1ght Podcast, who realised, through watching their own staff, that the usual afternoon snacking choices were not offering the most efficient fuel for working out after work. Unable to find an existing bar that properly fulfilled this need, they decided to create their own.
Home Run will retail at £2.45 a bar or £39 for a box of 16 and is available on Amazon here. A proportion of every bar sold will be donated to CALM.
Research of 500 people who exercise after work carried out by Dark Horses shows that 73% agree that what they eat during the day affects their performance, while 85% agree or strongly agree that they generally snack in the middle of the afternoon and when they do, they eat food that isn’t conducive of an effective workout. The most snacked-on mid-afternoon foods were chocolate (59% of respondents) shortly followed by crisps (53.43%) and biscuits with 52.94%.
75% of respondents said this leaves them feeling tired after work while 22% feel lethargic, 22% feel like they just want to sit on the couch and 18% feel slightly sick.
To ensure a post-work hit of clean energy the bar uses oats, seeds and teff Flour, which is high in fibre and has a low glycemic index (GI). It also avoids the use of dates, prevalent in so many bars, which have high sugar content. This means Home Run only has 7.6 grams of sugar, lower than many of its competitors*, tastes great and results in a slow release of sugar into the blood, thereby providing a sustained supply of energy to the body. It is also a good source of Magnesium, contributing to a reduction in tiredness and fatigue and free from chemicals, preservatives and emulsifiers.
Hope Pointing, a registered associate nutritionist, says: “The nutritional composition of the bar has been designed specifically to provide a combination of slow-release carbohydrates, plant-based protein, omega 3 fatty acids and ingredients that are high in fibre. This will help sustain energy levels, maintain stable blood glucose and allow exercisers and commuters to maintain performance.”
The aesthetic design of the bar has been just as important as the nutritional elements, ensuring that it is the most visually distinctive in the category. In a market that is dominated by pastel colours and pictures of mountains, Home Run’s black and white chevron look has been specifically designed to denote movement and energy, looking like the bar itself is mid-workout.
Catrin Tyler, co-founder at Home Run, said: “We’re a business filled with sports enthusiasts who all workout after work. However, when we looked closely at ourselves, we noticed our own snacking habits weren’t the best - office life presents a cavalcade of cakes, biscuits and sweets. But when we went looking for a balanced, plant-based energy source made from whole foods that still tasted great, we couldn’t find one. So we thought, we’ll make our own.”
“As offices in cities reopen, many people will rightly be reluctant to use public transport, so fuelling their evening workout will be more important than ever. Home Run can be the bar to help people make that transition. It also tastes lovely with a cup of tea.”
Home Run has already collaborated with CALM by creating the Home Run for CALM - a charity run from people’s homes raising close to £10,000 for CALM. The race was hosted on Zoom by TV presenters Tim and Gendle with music and entertainment from McFly’s Danny Jones, Martin2Smoove and Plastik Phunk.
