Core Power, a brand of Chicago-based fairlife LLC, signed on as the national sponsor and official protein drink of the 2014 Reebok Spartan Race, a global obstacle race series. The partnership pairs two companies committed to providing athletes and active individuals with tools and experiences designed to enhance sports performance.

“Our team has developed a superior protein drink for fitness enthusiasts who need to fuel their physically active lifestyles,” said Steve Jones, chief executive officer of fairlife, LLC, in a statement. “Spartan Racers are serious athletes and inspirational fun-loving people — they need and deserve a better protein drink.”

Core Power delivers natural whey and casein proteins from milk to help active individuals keep their nutrition in check and stay at the top of their games, the company says. The natural-ingredient protein shake also includes carbohydrates for energy, electrolytes to rehydrate, and fatty acids to improve recovery.

Every finisher at every Spartan Race will have the opportunity to sample Core Power, which is available in two varieties: the Core version has 26 grams of protein and 240 calories, while the Light version has 20 grams of protein and 150 calories. Core Power Core is available in Vanilla, Chocolate and Banana flavors, while Core Power Light comes in Chocolate and Strawberry Banana. Attendees at select races also will have access to the Core Power Recovery Zone, which will feature a branded recreational vehicle that will provide live streaming of race action on flat-screen TVs. The Core Power Recovery Zone vehicle also will travel the country to other sporting events and retail locations, offering samples to consumers and educating them about Core Power.

"Core Power is a natural fit for the 2014 Reebok Spartan Race series and adds another exciting partner to our mission of making Obstacle Course Racing an Olympic sport," said Joe DeSena, Spartan Race chief executive officer and co-founder, in a statement. "Our Spartan athletes will appreciate this high-protein drink with simple and straight-forward ingredients that will help them recover from the physical challenge of our races."

Core Power will launch its partnership with Spartan Race on Jan. 25 at Vail Lake Resort in Temecula, Calif. For a full 2014 schedule or to sign-up to participate in a Spartan Race in your area, visit: http://www.spartanrace.com/spartan-obstacle-racing-events.php.