Food and Water
Today's run: Long Run of 17 miles at 8:32 pace
Another longest run ever! I arrived early for the K-Stars run and put in three miles, timing it (or so I thought) so I would come back to our regular starting point in time to synch up with other (kind) runners who agreed to run 14 miles with me (and waited a couple of minutes as my timing was off).
The weather was perfect: overcast, not cold, not warm. The route was the same as two weeks ago, with the same rewarding, dramatic ocean vista after rising up the hill from the base of the Great Highway. What was new was to be joined by six other runners, to have constant conversation as a result, and to allow the group to fragment towards the end into the right combinations of paces.
I felt pretty good! My legs were certainly tired in the last two miles, and I had to push a bit to get back, but nothing serious. Chris was there to help pace me back.
The other thing that was new: goo.
When I was running Cross Country in high school, even in the deadly heat of the San Fernando Valley, I didn't carry water. Maybe we'd find a water fountain along the way, but I don't really remember that. I don't remember drinking before, after, or during any run, at all. I even recall being particularly determined to have an empty stomach before I ran, running in the afternoons (long after lunch) or in the mornings (before any breakfast). Food and running were completely set apart from each other.
More recently, as I bridged the gap between 5 mile and, say 10 or 11 mile runs, I didn't change this practice. Well, at the insistence of my wife, I did start to have a small bit of food in the mornings before morning runs. But nothing during.
In learning about running a marathon, I have come to understand that not only should one drink and eat before and after, but during the race as well. Drinking while running? I tried that once in a 10k and gagged. Eating while running? What is this goo-stuff anyway?
There's a whole section in the book that discusses it, and even describes how to pick up a cup, crush the top of it closed, and drink carefully during the race.
Now I have a water bottle that I carry, and today, I tried my first goo while running. This is all to train myself to be able to do this on the day of the marathon, and I'm using longer runs as the practice ground.
Though I won't carry it during the race (since water stations are plentiful), the water bottle is easy, and well designed with a strap (so one doesn't have to grip it in order to carry it) and a top that allows a simple squeeze to dispense the water, so one doesn't need to open it.The goo is another matter entirely. In short, these are small packets of a gel-like substance that delivers about 100 calories and 25 g of carbohydrates, some sodium and a few other things. Delivers them, that is, if you can get them down.
I had selected a particular flavor at the recommendation of a friend who had done her share of running and just loved this one flavor. I found it had the consistency and taste of a toothpaste, and tasted like cola flavored toothpaste. I was grateful to be carrying a water bottle so I could immediately wash the taste down.
Then, there were a few other things to learn: where to hold them on your body (safety pinned, but I put them in the wrong place today), how to open them while running (your teeth), the invariability of getting your hands sticky, and ultimately, how to adapt to doing this so that during the marathon, I can refuel effectively.
Fortunately, I have many more long runs to go, and I can try the various brands and flavors to see which ones I can stomach (literally and figuratively).
Another longest run ever! I arrived early for the K-Stars run and put in three miles, timing it (or so I thought) so I would come back to our regular starting point in time to synch up with other (kind) runners who agreed to run 14 miles with me (and waited a couple of minutes as my timing was off).
The weather was perfect: overcast, not cold, not warm. The route was the same as two weeks ago, with the same rewarding, dramatic ocean vista after rising up the hill from the base of the Great Highway. What was new was to be joined by six other runners, to have constant conversation as a result, and to allow the group to fragment towards the end into the right combinations of paces.
I felt pretty good! My legs were certainly tired in the last two miles, and I had to push a bit to get back, but nothing serious. Chris was there to help pace me back.
The other thing that was new: goo.
Kleenex : Tissue Paper :: Gu : Energy Gels
When I was running Cross Country in high school, even in the deadly heat of the San Fernando Valley, I didn't carry water. Maybe we'd find a water fountain along the way, but I don't really remember that. I don't remember drinking before, after, or during any run, at all. I even recall being particularly determined to have an empty stomach before I ran, running in the afternoons (long after lunch) or in the mornings (before any breakfast). Food and running were completely set apart from each other.
More recently, as I bridged the gap between 5 mile and, say 10 or 11 mile runs, I didn't change this practice. Well, at the insistence of my wife, I did start to have a small bit of food in the mornings before morning runs. But nothing during.
In learning about running a marathon, I have come to understand that not only should one drink and eat before and after, but during the race as well. Drinking while running? I tried that once in a 10k and gagged. Eating while running? What is this goo-stuff anyway?
There's a whole section in the book that discusses it, and even describes how to pick up a cup, crush the top of it closed, and drink carefully during the race.
Now I have a water bottle that I carry, and today, I tried my first goo while running. This is all to train myself to be able to do this on the day of the marathon, and I'm using longer runs as the practice ground.
Though I won't carry it during the race (since water stations are plentiful), the water bottle is easy, and well designed with a strap (so one doesn't have to grip it in order to carry it) and a top that allows a simple squeeze to dispense the water, so one doesn't need to open it.The goo is another matter entirely. In short, these are small packets of a gel-like substance that delivers about 100 calories and 25 g of carbohydrates, some sodium and a few other things. Delivers them, that is, if you can get them down.I had selected a particular flavor at the recommendation of a friend who had done her share of running and just loved this one flavor. I found it had the consistency and taste of a toothpaste, and tasted like cola flavored toothpaste. I was grateful to be carrying a water bottle so I could immediately wash the taste down.
Then, there were a few other things to learn: where to hold them on your body (safety pinned, but I put them in the wrong place today), how to open them while running (your teeth), the invariability of getting your hands sticky, and ultimately, how to adapt to doing this so that during the marathon, I can refuel effectively.
Fortunately, I have many more long runs to go, and I can try the various brands and flavors to see which ones I can stomach (literally and figuratively).
posted by Brent at
5:55 PM
2 Comments:
My fav: GU "Espresso Love"
Delivers a nice shot of caffeine to boo(s)t.
VERY important to remember that a gel pack is basically a small bottle dehydrated Gatorade. Meaning once you down it, you need approximately that amount of water to dilute it. If you don't, two things will happen:
1. Some/most of the glucose will never enter your bloodstream and you will have gulped in vain (wow, so many puns - none of them PG-rated)
2. Your body will allocate more body fluids (ie. blood) to the digestive system, thereby dehydrating you further. Ever notice how sugar makes you thirsty?
You're right to experiment. Some people are really sensitive to this stuff and it may be better not to use it. Personally I use it on training runs because the City of SF is cheap and only serves water at its drinking fountains, not Gatorade. At races where Gatorade is plentiful I get my glucose and electrolytes that way and don't need the gels.
One more thing: if your shorts have a key pocket, screw the safety pins. Unless you like the bouncy feeling.
By
Anonymous, at 12:20 PM
They do have a key pocket, but that's where I keep my key. :)
By
Brent, at 7:13 PM
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