Can you believe it’s already time for Halloween in 2016? We know most of our members have probably already picked out a costume, but just in case you’re still trying to think of ideas, our team put together a list of popular athletes your children could go trick-or-treating as!

Michael Phelps

Yes, we know this wasn’t his 8 gold medal Olympic year, but going as the most decorated Olympian of all time is sure fire hit! It’s an easy costume, too! A swim suit, towel around the neck, goggles on the head, and as many gold medals as you can find! (Can you find more than 23?)

Katie Ledecky

We can’t mention Michael Phelps without Katie Ledecky now. She is just as dominant as he was and we’ll have to wait until 2020 to see if she continues her dominance. Ledecky’s costume is the same outline as Michael’s and easy to find! It’s even easier if your children are signed up in our swim classes!

Luke Kuechly

Yes we know he plays for the Carolina Panthers and not the Cincinnati Bengals, but Luke got his start right here at St. Xavier High School. Luke plays linebacker and is also known as a great role model for kids. Try finding a Kuechly Jersey, and if you don’t have football pads, it’s easy to stuff the jersey will pillow fluff. Put on a pair of cleats, and you’re ready to go! It’s even easier if you go as a group and be more of the team!

No matter who your children chose to be, we hope you all have a fun and safe Halloween night!

You’ve just finished a hard workout and you’re headed to the fridge to grab a drink to get your electrolytes back. What are you grabbing — Gatorade or Powerade? It’s the age old question that has divided sports teams and cities. In case you still haven’t made up your mind, we’ll walk you through what we like and don’t like about both.

History

Gatorade was created by Dr. J. Robert Cade in 1965 for the University of Florida football when he saw them struggling to stay hydrated in the Florida heat. Dr. J. Robert Cade and his colleagues quickly found out that the players were becoming fatigued because the electrolytes they lost through sweat and carbohydrates used for energy were not being replaced with just water. They went right to the lab and made a balanced drink with carbohydrates and electrolytes that would help keep fatigue away so they could finish their games.
In 1988 Powerade was released to directly compete with Gatorade. While they have a strong hold in the PGA, NASCAR, NCAA and other big markets, Gatorade owns the sports drink category 70% to 30%.

Benefits

Athletes enjoy Gatorade because it fights dehydration with a combination of water, carbohydrates and electrolytes. It’s tested and true that Gatorade keeps athletes going harder and faster for a longer period of time. However, some prefer Powerade because it also has vitamins e B-3, B-6, and B-12. Starting with B-3, these three vitamins convert food into energy, help with the production of red blood cells, and maintain the blood cell count, respectively.

It comes down to personal preference and we won’t influence you one way or another. However, don’t forget that these drinks are for intense workouts that make you sweat and use lots of energy. Most of us could drink water most of the time and be perfectly healthy. That said, we’re going to go run some sprints and grab a drink.