The cooler temps that ended the week have been nice. I ran a really fast 10 miler Thursday, a 9:40 pace which is fast for me, and a 10 minute pace Saturday on a 15 miler. That’s also my longest run since the Colorado Marathon in May. It’s time for me to up my miles to prep for the Boulder Marathon at the end of September. And I think 15 miles is long enough but I’d like to run a couple of 20 milers before then. I could have gone for 20 today. The cooler temps really make a difference.

I learned a cool running tip while watching the women’s marathon in Paris today. Carry an ice pack in your left hand. Blood flows from the heart through your left hand before moving to the right side of your body, so you can cool your blood off early in its circulation. It could be cold in Bandera in January, but it will be humid and that’s just like heat because the sweat doesn’t evaporate effectively.

I have my hydration plan decided now for Bandera. I’ll drink 3 different mixes. One bottle of LMNT with 1000mg of sodium and one bottle of high carb/high calorie SIS Beta Fuel. I’ll drink that for the first loop. I’ll continue drinking the high carb SIS on the second loop but swap out the LMNT for high sodium (500mg) Precision Fuel. PF has a bit less electrolytes than LMNT but is still on the high end while it contains a higher dose of calories, closer to what SIS has. PF is a super good blend of high calories and high electrolytes. Swapping out LMNT for PF will give me some diversity in taste. I’ll be able to drink Tailwind at the aid stations which is another good drink and one I know I do well with.

I have a short list of gels to fuel with, that I know don’t cause me GI distress, and I’ll have a more diverse mix of those. I want to avoid super sticky gels because that really irritates me. The empty packets make a mess out of my vest and hands. SIS Beta Fuel gels and Maurten gels will be on that short list. Maybe Santa Madre, they have a hugely diverse assortment and I like their jelly bars – they’re not sticky and also not as dense as gummy bears which don’t digest easily for me. I’ll eat some natural foods at the aid stations. I’m a big fan of oranges.

I would have run on the track today but Karen and I got in a mountain trail hike instead. The air felt so good up along the Indian Peaks. We got in an hour on the Middle St. Vrain Trail. It’s an area we typically snow shoe, about 45 minutes from our house.