It was always going to be risky. Asking our self-confessed analogue coach in a digital era, Alan Newman, to road test a new sports nutrition product was a bit like requesting Fred Flinstone to sample the latest vegan burger! 

Alan is known to be partial to the occasional burger himself, and to enjoy a glass of red plonk after training, having once been described kindly by a long term running friend as: "not having a particularly sophisticated palate".

Having weaned himself on the fictional exploits of Alf Tupper and later attempted to model himself in the image of his mate, the late Ron Hill MBE, Alan's idea of a pre-marathon drink was diluted orange squash with a sprinkling of salt added to taste! How times have changed.

So we come to Active Root, which you can now try for £5 less by using the discount code RUNABC5 at the checkout. The marketplace is packed with products that claim to help you to achieve that personal best performance but not all of them suit all palates, sophisticated or otherwise.

All Active Root products contain 204mg of natural ginger root extract per serving – actually it's a compound called gingerol, a close relative of the compounds found in chilli peppers and turmeric, known to have powerful medicinal properties since Fred Flinstone was alive.   

Additionally, Active Root contains only natural ingredients, all of which the average person recognises and can actually pronounce! The main benefit of adding ginger is to make the product easier on the stomach, so no more 'gut bombs'. The rapid absorption of the fluids, cane sugar and sea salt elements will keep your body in balance, well fuelled and hydrated during intense exercise.

Alan found Active Root to be brightly packaged, with clear instructions, simple to use and pleasant to taste. There isn't a strong ginger hit but a delicate, smooth flavour, neither too sweet nor too tart – just right, in fact. It encourages the user to sip small quantities frequently during exercise, as we should, as the pleasant taste lingers and feels good to the user.

The main range includes three flavours: Original Ginger; Peppermint and Ginger and Green Tea and Ginger. There are also low-calorie Electro Lite Plus versions available in Original Ginger and Lemonbalm and Ginger. The low-calorie sachets are smaller and very convenient to pack.

Other features that pleased our Moneysaving Expert disciple were that the products are refillable (also good for the planet) and the Active Root drinks bottle included in the sample pack (available for just £9.99 with code RUNABC5) is good quality and doesn't leak. All the products are made in the UK and are suitable for vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and dairy-free diets.

Any questions? Just ask MD and Co-Founder of Active Root, Will Townsend.

For full details of other January Sale offers, including entry discounts for partner races, visit the Active Root website now

Image courtesy Active Root