Channel Experts

Channel swimmer with a mustache and white zinc sunscreen on face wearing swim cap and goggle eating a bite of a cherry chocolate oatmeal honey shark bar in front of catalina island while sitting on a boat in the ocean water

As an open-water marathon swimmer, I’ve learned firsthand that endurance is built as much in the kitchen as it is in the ocean. Hours spent training for 10-, 15-, or even 20-mile swims demand not just physical grit but a fueling strategy that can sustain the body through long stretches of exertion. Over the years, I’ve had the privilege of not only tackling some of the sport’s most iconic routes myself — from the Around Coronado Island Swim (11.7 miles) to the Catalina Channel (20 miles) — but also of coaching and providing kayak support for dozens of other athletes chasing those same horizons.

Somewhere along the way, Shark Bars became part of that journey. I began gifting them to swimmers as a post-swim congratulations — a small token that also happened to be the same formula I relied on throughout my own training. It wasn’t long before these swimmers started coming back, not just for the sentiment, but for the science.

They discovered what I already knew: that Shark Bars deliver the ideal macronutrient balance for endurance athletes — a higher-carbohydrate base for sustained energy, just enough protein to support recovery, and healthy fats that keep energy steady long after the last stroke. It’s a formulation that aligns with both NASM-backed principles and the real-world demands of open-water athletes.

And the feedback? Consistent and enthusiastic. Swimmers tell me they love the subtle sweetness, the clean ingredient list, and the way each bar feels real — not syrupy, not synthetic, not something you have to “get through” just to hit a calorie target. Many have become devoted Shark Repellant Nutrition customers, stocking up before long-distance races or travel blocks.

“Absolutely delicious. Finally, a bar that tastes like something I’d want to eat, not just force down as fuel.”
“Clean ingredients, no weird after-taste. Exactly what I look for after a long workout.”
“I used the bar during training for Catalina—fuel that held up. I’m sold.”

For a group of athletes who have tried everything under the sun — gels, powders, bars, and “performance” snacks — that loyalty says a lot. In a sport defined by endurance, Shark Bars have earned their place as fuel that truly goes the distance.