quickly now
I had 10 to do tonight and it got dark so fast I was running in the dark by the second mile. I brought my strobe light which died after 30 minutes. I guess I need something that uses less power. My flashlight had to do.
I ran along the road where I had run the 14 miles before. There is very little traffic there and I could run in the center of the road most of the time. Unfortunately, out there the dogs are let out at night. Most stayed away but around mile 4 I heard a pair of them already barking at me before I got to the house. In the dark. No Dazer. No weapon. I turned around and made up the missing 2 miles by doing a few laps in my neighborhood. Next time I go out earlier and bring the Dazer and a good metal rod for knocking doggie heads.
I have 20 that I’ll be running on Sunday. I’ll be unable to fuel up Friday night and I’ll be out late so I moved my long run to Sunday. Works fine for me. I have a nice smooth path for it. It should be nice. I’ve got the big fuel belt ready and I’m definately bringing the Dazer for that one.
The one thing I have been doing differently on these long runs is not eating. I used to bring snacks and now I don’t. I can’t quite decide if gels do anything for me. They are only 100 calories (which I burn up in about 1 mile), so if I’m eating one at mile 10 of a 15 mile run, don’t I need another one at mile 11?
I guess I don’t understand enough about how my body uses food. I imagine it like a gas tank in a car. If there fuel to burn at the moment, then adding 100 gallons behind that doesn’t make you go faster. And if you run out of gas, adding 1 gallon will only get you as far as your gas mileage allows for 1 gallon only. Maybe it doesn’t work that way in your body. Maybe if you run out of glycogen, eating something makes your body pull the energy from somewhere else. I don’t know.
Bedtime.
September 13th, 2007 00:40
I really dislike running in the dark. I keep thinking I need a head lamp. But then I’m sure I’ll look dorky.
I wish I understood the fueling intricacies myself!
September 13th, 2007 07:09
I consume a gel an hour when run a marathon and drink about half and half sports drink/water along the way - works for me. Oh, and I also eat a pretty good sized lunch and supper the day before.
I have a Dazer waiting for me at my parents in NY - do you think I should bring it to Floyd ;-)
September 13th, 2007 09:02
Dude, over thinking it much?
September 13th, 2007 20:45
You are missing an important element in the fuel equation. Your body is still producing energy - it doesn’t stop. It just can’t keep up over long distances so you need to supplement or you will bonk. My running store people say 1 GU every 45 minutes. They are hard core, though. For me 1 every 60 - 75 minutes is fine. You have to figure out what works for you. Do it by time, not by miles.
September 13th, 2007 20:59
Maybe you have a hybrid and don’t need as much gas.
September 13th, 2007 20:59
Wait. Do you have gas?
September 15th, 2007 08:52
The way I understand it, you kinda operate like a car with two gas tanks. Tank #1 is small but is filled with the high-octane stuff. Tank #2 is huge but filled with the cheap low-octane stuff. When you run (or any physical activity) you go through Tank #1 first, once you go through that, you switch to Tank #2.
You fill both tanks the same way: eating. Tank #1 is the carbs/sugars you have on hand, Tank #2 are the fats that are created down the line. Taking a shot of GU is like putting super high-octane gas in Tank #1. So you get a burst of energy and hold off on using Tank #2 for a bit.
Does that make sense?
September 15th, 2007 14:59
Jon,
You’ve been watching me haven’t you? ;)
Minimalist shoes, and now, minimalist fueling? Yay, I have a buddy!
Seriously folks: 1 gel every 45 minutes? Sorry but that’s just ludicrous. I can run 21 miles without any fueling (other than good PRE-run fueling) with NO difficulty whatsoever.
And I just completed my second marathon without fueling. I DID take a cup of gatorade and a cup of water every two miles but NO gels, bars etc.
And I did not bonk.
IMHO, far too many people are placing far too much emphasis on gels and not enough on training.
I find myself going more and more against the grain. Strangely, against the grain seems to go against some company making money off me.
September 15th, 2007 16:23
Whats up with the password protected next post??? Run Good
September 17th, 2007 11:12
Try the Clif Shot Blox–2 servings per package, 1 serving per hour. They’re more cumbersome to carry than gels, but they both taste better and seem to work better.
September 18th, 2007 11:59
I’m doing the no snack thing too . . . and sometimes I get really hungry!
September 18th, 2007 12:46
I really like running in the dark. It doesn’t matter what I wear, how bad I look, etc. But now I am afraid of spraining an ankle again and don’t want to risk it. The bad thing there is if I don’t go in the dark or near dark (preferably morning dark), I just don’t go at all. As for the fuel thing, I guess its an individual thing. If I run slow, I just burn fat (although never enough it seems), but running fast and not refueling means burning muscle. You have to go with how you feel and experiment with what and how much. My first marathon I just brought graham crackers and that worked fine.
September 18th, 2007 21:37
yeah, but mark is insane.
September 18th, 2007 22:10
No I’m not. And, besides, Jeanne has cooties.