News

When I says that VALA includes “Seven natural ingredients and nothing else”, I really do mean it. There are no hidden additives or preservatives here! Way back in 2017 when my partner Dann started marathon running, I got fed up of seeing him feel sick after gulping down the generic gels and promised to find him another gel.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀We went through several 'natural' brands and none of their gels fit his strict criteria. Eventually, I became so frustrated that there wasn’t a more natural alternative for him to train with that I decided to make my own. I spent a year...

Whenever we have a new VALA ambassador join our crew, I always ask them for the top three pieces of advice they’d give to someone thinking of trying out their sport. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀So far, we’ve had a mix of ultra runners, triathletes and mountain bikers join our crew. The one piece of advice that is always the same no matter the sport is “Have fun”. Here’s our trail running ambassador @guyilott doing just that and breaking out a smile during a rainy run.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀Looking for a sense of fun in your sport is a great way to stay motivated and inspired to train, even...

When I was coming up for the name for what is now VALA, I knew that I wanted it to be completely unrelated to the sports nutrition world. I've always found it quite difficult to connect with a lot of the sports nutrition brands that were in the market and their names and branding never really appealed to me.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀I spent weeks coming up with a brand name and I eventually resorted to looking up Welsh baby names online. I stumbled across VALA and I immediately loved the look of it. I get asked at least once a week what it...

I laugh now when I think of blending these raw ingredients in my blender and spooning the formula into the make-do pouches. Back then I DREAMED of the day when VALA would be in a custom sachet! Three years on and I still have to pinch myself that it actually happened.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀Throughout the VALA process there were so many doubts and fears that kept creeping up, which I think is to be expected when taking a risk and doing ANYTHING new for the first time. The impostor syndrome that came in waves when meeting new factories and suppliers felt VERY real,...

Some days (and weeks, if we’re honest) it can feel like more of an effort to get back into a training routine. If you’re looking to create a routine that you can stick to, it helps to create habits that make exercising feel like second nature. Here are three easy changes that you can incorporate into your daily routine:⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀LAY YOUR CLOTHES OUT THE NIGHT BEFORE Getting organised the night before means that you have less excuses to flake in the morning. Make sure that everything is in one spot (shoes, socks, gels, hair ties) and that you have your phone...

  Please join us in giving a warm welcome to Olivia French, who is the newest addition to the VALA ambassador crew. Having played tennis since the age of 9, Olivia was inspired to take up duathlon when COVID-19 forced the tennis courts to close, which was initially a placeholder for tennis to keep her fitness up. However, she quickly became hooked and took up the first opportunity to compete. Since then, she has been invited to join the Skoda DSI Cycling Academy and has qualified for the World Championships in Australia 2022. 2021 looks like it’s going to be a...