Tailwind Nutrition and their story is a kick in the pants.
A few years ago, an endearing volunteer at a trail running race handed us a cup of a clear, mild flavored drink at the mile nine aid station. By mile 11, we noticed a little pep in our step.
Colorado endurance athlete Jeff Vierling was tired of upset stomachs, over hydrating on syrupy sugar mixes and running around with a belly full of protein paste.
He started experimenting in the kitchen. A scoop of electrolytes, maybe a little magnesium and potassium. A dash of carbs here, a pinch of sea salt there.
With his mixer spewing out clouds of powder, it turns out he was on to something.
“He finally came up with his formula, started riding with it, and then his friends started asking for bags,” said Tailwind co-founder and Jeff’s wife, Jenny Vierling. “That’s probably when he started thinking about it as a business.”
Then it was off to the Leadville 100, a grueling hundred mile bike race in the Colorado Rockies, to see what some guinea pigs had to say.
“The feedback was really positive so we did an initial run of 500 units through a co-packer and started selling it on a website,” Vierling said.
To this day, every direct order gets a handwritten note and the customer’s name on the bag.
And that’s how you get Tailwind Nutrition, produced and packaged where the Vierlings live, Durango, Colorado.
30 Servings for $25.95, 2 Servings for $2.25.
