Run thru the wall

After a record-warm March, April has turned downright chilly with overnight lows dropping below freezing and daytime highs struggling to reach 50.  Just think, a month ago we had a week of temps in the upper 70s to low 80s here in Hog Heaven.  Don't get me wrong.  I'm not complaining.  I'd much rather run in 50-degree weather than 80-degree weather.  Especially long runs.

Yesterday I did a 90-minute maintenance run and today I did a 60-minute maintenance run.  Tomorrow's schedule calls for cross training.  Unless the forecast changes between now and Thursday morning, I plan to do my final long run before the Colorado Marathon on Thursday.  I'm looking forward to getting it behind me.  Thereafter, it should be downhill to May 6.  

I saw a piece on Competitor.com recently about a reputedly revolutionary new sports drink:  http://running.competitor.com/2012/04/nutrition/the-science-behind-high-molecular-carbohydrates_50415
The short version is that taken prior to exercise, it maintains glucose levels for several hours.  So, it eliminates the highs and lows caused by spikes in insulin that are associated with sugar-based sports drinks and gels.  Even better, the makers claim that there's no stomach distress with their product.  The product is called Generation UCAN.  I have no experience with it.  You can check it out if you're intrigued. 

The story got me thinking about the topics that I've discussed in this blog.  While I've discussed shoes at some length, I've been mostly silent on the equally crucial subjects of hydration and fuel for energy.   Like shoes, there is no one-size-fits-all answer to these questions.  Runners need to experiment and find what works best for them.  Long runs are the perfect laboratory for these experiments.

Before short training runs or short races, I have a cup of coffee.  That's it.  That's been my routine for several decades so I don't see any reason to change now.

For long training runs and longer races--the marathon in particular--I have a cup of coffee, a container of yogurt, and a small banana before beginning.  Then, I start drinking at the first water station--usually at mile 2--and drink both water (with energy chews) and electrolyte drinks at subsequent stations.  (When I'm training and have my choice of electrolyte drinks, I use NUUN Electrolyte Enhanced Drink Tabs.  I like Fruit Punch.)  I usually begin eating around mile 6 and eat at two-mile intervals throughout the race/training run.   After lots of experimentation, I've settled on Honey Stinger Organic Energy Chews.  I like Cherry Blossom.

Find what works for you and run thru "the Wall."