{"id":371011,"date":"2025-12-25T13:26:12","date_gmt":"2025-12-25T13:26:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/371011\/"},"modified":"2025-12-25T13:26:12","modified_gmt":"2025-12-25T13:26:12","slug":"krispies-creatine-and-10-things-jim-cotton-loved-in-2025","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/371011\/","title":{"rendered":"Krispies, Creatine, and 10 Things Jim Cotton Loved in 2025"},"content":{"rendered":"

Updated December 25, 2025 12:36AM<\/p>\n

Full disclosure: I didn\u2019t buy any whizz-bang training gadgets<\/a> or snazzy cycling kit<\/a> this year. But I did invest my faith in creatine, joined the church of Krispies, and rediscovered some old favorite things.<\/p>\n

And believe it or not, I actually loved more than 10 things in this year of riding, running, and stomping around in London.<\/p>\n

With that in mind, I\u2019ve chosen to write about some items that I hope you might find inspiration or benefit from trying, too.<\/p>\n

Here are 10 of the things I loved<\/a> in 2025:<\/p>\n

Creatine
\n\"CreatineI decided against uploading an image of my stash of white powder, so here\u2019s the chemical structure of creatine instead.<\/p>\n

After years of being creatine curious, I finally took the plunge and went all-in on this \u201cgym bro supplement\u201d<\/a> in 2025.<\/p>\n

And I\u2019m very glad I did.<\/p>\n

Supplementing with creatine has transformed my training in the gym, on the bike, and on the trails, and has marked the birth of [hopefully] a whole new mindset.<\/p>\n

As I wrote about in my explainer on REDs<\/a>, I turned a corner this year after a decade of being beaten down by anorexia. I came to terms with the fact that I needed to gain mass, fast. My short-term health and long-term future depended on it.<\/p>\n

But I also wanted to \u201cbulk\u201d in a way that would be productive for my performance goals.<\/p>\n

That\u2019s why, from spring onward, I combined my reframed attitude to food with a daily dose of 5g of creatine. Simultaneously, I doubled down in the gym and got \u201cswoll.\u201d\u00a0If ~130lb is \u201cswoll,\u201d that is.<\/p>\n

I\u2019m almost certain that the explosive boost of creatine has helped change me, mentally and physically.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s been intoxicating to see a few new pounds directly translate into bigger lifts and better W\/Kg, with no impact on endurance. And crucially, seeing that progress has helped silence any intrusive thoughts when I step on the weight scale.<\/p>\n

Of course, the \u201cgains\u201d aren\u2019t purely from creatine. But this cheap, safe, scientifically proven supplement certainly helped me to translate a surplus into strength.<\/p>\n

If you don\u2019t take creatine already, start now. You\u2019ll thank me in 2027.<\/p>\n

My antiquated Garmin Edge 1000
\n\"MyMy Edge 1000 has seen enough abuse to degrade the rubber around the on-off button [top left of unit]. But it still works fine. (Photo: Jim Cotton)<\/p>\n

I went technologically back to the future this year.<\/p>\n

After years of using my old Felt FR1 primarily as a town bike and an indoor training tool, I started to take it out on \u201cproper\u201d outdoor rides again. Base miles on the bike filled the void left by a forced reduction in running volume.<\/p>\n

And with that, out came my dusty, trusty Garmin Edge 1000.<\/p>\n

Ten years post-purchase, she\u2019s still going strong. The battery life is sufficient for my purposes, it operates fast, and the mapping is still relevant.<\/p>\n

Sure, the Edge 1000 doesn\u2019t have all the whizz-bang features of a modern headunit \u2013 it has been superseded multiple times, after all. It doesn\u2019t have a movie-theater-size screen, snazzy climbing features, or fancy fitness metrics. After years of wear \u2018n\u2019 tear, it doesn\u2019t have the rubber around the on-off button, either.<\/p>\n

But for now, it does all I need, just fine.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s simple to use, can pack millions of metrics onto one screen, and pairs with all my accessories.<\/p>\n

I\u2019m willing to bet that stripped-back headhunits like this are more than enough for most weekend warriors out there, too.<\/p>\n

Krispies!
\n\"Krispies\u2018Squares,\u2019 \u2018Treats,\u2019 whatever you want to call them \u2013 these things are cheap, tasty rocket fuel. (Photo: Jim Cotton)<\/p>\n

They\u2019re dirt cheap, they\u2019re LOADED with carbs, and they taste darn good. I friggin love Rice Krispies Squares \u2013 or, for you folk Stateside, Krispies Treats.<\/p>\n

I munched these gooey, sticky, mallow squares as a kid. Twenty-plus years later, they\u2019ve become a go-to training fuel.<\/p>\n

They\u2019ve become so essential since I heard how popular they\u2019ve become in the pro peloton<\/a> that I get a little anxious if I don\u2019t have some in my storecupboard. The chocolate and caramel flavor? Chef\u2019s kiss.<\/p>\n

Ok, so Krispies Squares aren\u2019t perfect training food.<\/p>\n

They\u2019re not easy to open while riding hard, and they\u2019re a choking hazard if you\u2019re running on the trails. The carb-to-calorie ratio isn\u2019t as good as specific sport nutrition, either.<\/p>\n

But for pre-workout loading or mid-training moments of calm, they\u2019re perfect. And they only cost pennies cents.<\/p>\n

One of my New Year\u2019s resolutions for 2026? Motivate myself to start making Krispies Bars at home with this simple, peloton-approved recip<\/a>e.<\/p>\n

Vacmaster Cardio 54 \u2018Air Mover\u2019 Fan
\n\"VacmasterImages like this are what happens when you combine the very ugly Cardio 54 fan with a reporter lacking photography skills. (Photo: Jim Cotton)<\/p>\n

I recently wrote about how I\u2019m a big fan of cheapo cooling hacks for indoor training. Damp cloths, spray bottles, and whatnot.<\/p>\n

But I also acknowledged these low-budget bodges are only the cherry on top of an effective cooling strategy. We all know that an indoor \u201cpain cave\u201d isn\u2019t complete until it\u2019s furnished with a fan so strong that it peels back eyelids.<\/p>\n

That\u2019s why I invested in a\u00a0Vacmaster Cardio 54<\/a> at the start of the year.<\/p>\n

The first time I tried this ugly little beast at full power, I was blown away \u2013 almost literally. The gale is so strong I thought it would blast me off the back of the saddle.<\/p>\n

This small, lightweight \u201csports fan\u201d is brutal in its power and raw in its functionality.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s got no fancy Bluetooth hookup or \u201ctargeted airflow pattern\u201d like a Wahoo Headwind<\/a>, and it looks like it belongs in a Soviet industrial unit.<\/p>\n

But it does the basics very well.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s compact, weighs only 3.6kg [8lb], and can be positioned at multiple angles. There are three levels of intensity that can be controlled by a remote unit. And the claimed 54kph of its top setting is quite frankly bonkers.<\/p>\n

Best of all? It\u2019s less than half the price of the Headwind.<\/p>\n

One last thing. I hate to break it to y\u2019all \u2026 the Cardio 54 is made by the UK-based Cleva, and I\u2019ve not been able to find a North American vendor. But don\u2019t let that deter you U.S. folk from trying to find one \u2013 it will be well worth your time if you do.<\/p>\n

Aeropress coffee maker
\n\"aeropressThe Aeropress is the understated king of coffee-makers. (Photo: Jim Cotton)<\/p>\n

I feel like I owe my Aeropress<\/a> an apology.<\/p>\n

I only gave my beloved coffee gadget an \u201chonorable mention\u201d in my rundown of \u201c10 things\u201d in 2024.<\/a><\/p>\n

Well, this year, the Aeropress gets a promotion, and rightly so.<\/p>\n

It travels with me, anywhere I go. I\u2019ve become so dependent on it that I can barely form a sentence before I\u2019ve guzzled two of its strong black brews.<\/p>\n

For me, the clear fruity kick tastes better and hits harder than any other coffee, whether espresso or filter. It\u2019s the ultimate shortcut toward mental clarity.<\/p>\n

And best of all? The Aeropress is simple to use, simple to clean, and no bigger than a water bottle.<\/p>\n

Life\u2019s complicated enough, so I like to keep good coffee simple.<\/p>\n

Powerbeats Fit wireless earbuds
\n\"BeatsThere are better-sounding wireless earbuds out there, but these Beats Fits have served me very well for both training and general living. (Photo: Jim Cotton)<\/p>\n

My stubborn commitment to wired earbuds [see my list from 2024, linked above] finally cracked in 2025, and I\u2019m glad it did.<\/p>\n

My Powerbeats Fit<\/a> wireless buds became everyday carries this year.<\/p>\n

They sound great, they\u2019re lightweight and comfortable, and they hold tons of charge. The bud-mounted buttons offer a positive \u201cclick\u201d that makes it easy to adjust volume or skip tracks mid-workout. And while the noise-cancellation isn\u2019t 100 percent effective, it\u2019s good enough.<\/p>\n

Full disclosure \u2013 I\u2019m no headphone nerd. I didn\u2019t test dozens of options before I settled on these Beats.<\/p>\n

But I do appreciate good audio.<\/p>\n

Of course, these mid-budget buds don\u2019t make my head sound like a symphony hall. But there\u2019s more than enough depth and clarity for indoor training, traveling, and living.<\/p>\n

Perhaps the most important thing for me? The Powerbeats Fits have never slipped out of my ears in 10 months of daily use.<\/p>\n

That said, I still think anyone who rides or runs trails with fully wireless buds needs their head looked at. That\u2019s where the archaic wired Bose Soundsports<\/a> that I praised this time last year come in.<\/p>\n

Mid 2000s hardcore
\n\"\"Old favorites like Combeback Kid, Terror, and My Life is War topped my playlist in 2025.<\/p>\n

For me, 2025 sounded like 2005. Because let\u2019s face it, old-school hardcore is the best.<\/p>\n

Mid-2000s bangers like \u201cWake the Dead\u201d by Comeback Kid, \u201cWitness\u201d by Modern Life is War, and \u201cPerseverance\u201d by Hatebreed bludgeoned me through the most miserable training sessions and fueled my eternal teenage rage.<\/p>\n

I was lucky enough to see all of the above-mentioned bands this year, and let\u2019s just say that aerobic prowess doesn\u2019t help much in a mosh pit. It seems that \u201cslam-dancing\u201d skills deteriorate as fast as VO2 Max and running economy.<\/p>\n

OK, I accept that my musical tastes are for the minority.<\/p>\n

But my decades-old playlist is a nice reminder that the soundtrack of your youth never goes stale.<\/p>\n

Manilife deep roast crunchy peanut butter
\n\"PeanutEmpty jars of peanut butter make Jim sad. (Photo: Jim Cotton)<\/p>\n

Anyone who is passionate about PB will know. There\u2019s peanut butter, and there\u2019s peanut butter.<\/p>\n

And take it from me, this Manilife \u201cdeep roast\u201d crunchy PB<\/a> is the real deal.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s big, bold, and rubbly. It\u2019s deep, dark, and complex [like me!?].<\/p>\n

The dash of salt in the recipe delivers a delicious savory twang that banishes the sickliness of some \u201clight\u201d roasts.<\/p>\n

And crucially, the consistency is stiff and sticky, not weird and runny. Unlike inferior, sloppy nut butters, Manilife crunchy provides essential adhesiveness to the bottom layer of a PB&J.<\/p>\n

Last checks in the boxes? The Manilife brand doesn\u2019t use palm oil, is a certified B-Corp [i.e., it\u2019s committed to sustainability], and uses high-oleic nuts, which are supposedly healthier.<\/p>\n

And before you ask \u2013 always crunchy.<\/p>\n

What do you think I am, a crazy person?<\/p>\n

Reforming a reading habit
\n\"\"No virtue-signalling with my recent selection of mid-intellect novels. (Photo: Jim Cotton)<\/p>\n

As a \u201cwriter,\u201d I was a little ashamed in recent years by my very sporadic reading habits.<\/p>\n

I would consume online news and features all day, but my turnover of \u201cIRL\u201d paper fiction was terrible. One book per month would be an exaggeration.<\/p>\n

I was either too wiped out by work, too engrossed in Netflix, or struggled to find a story to commit to.<\/p>\n

However, I managed to do a little better this year and rebuilt something of a habit. My book tally for 2025 reached 10.<\/p>\n

I\u2019m not going to pretend my reading has been refined \u2013 my page-turners don\u2019t do justice to my M.A. in English Literature. But I\u2019ve done my time struggling through \u201cWuthering Heights\u201d and \u201cPilgrim\u2019s Progress,\u201d thank you very much.<\/p>\n

And even though I\u2019ve only been reading for 30 or 40 minutes per day, I\u2019ve found that my mood, focus, and sleep have all improved.<\/p>\n

Maybe I\u2019ll manage 11 books next year.<\/p>\n

Plant misting spray bottle
\n\"\"Don\u2019t write it off until you try it. You can thank me in 2026. (Photo: Jim Cotton)<\/p>\n

IYKYK<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n