Tag Archives: Hammer Gel

Muddy Trails

13 Saturday Sep 2014

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muddy trailsWe’ve had some rain and snow the last couple of days.  That doesn’t help the trail conditions but the cool weather is a decent trade off.  This morning’s twenty mile run began in a crisp 43°.  It finished less than three hours later still under 60°.  The cool clime contributed to an 8:33 pace.  Twenty seconds per mile faster than last Saturday.

This is my final tough workout before the Boulder Marathon on October 5th.  Hoping for similar weather then.  I only drank one liter of Scratch and consumed the same quantity of Hammer Gels as last week – three for a total of 240 calories.  I plan to double that during the marathon.  I burned about 3000 calories and lost five pounds in two hours and fifty-four minutes.  An hour later, I feel great.  I’m ready.

To let you know, the race starts from the Boulder Res at 7:15am.  The course loops through the res again at the half.  Chris Price should be coming through the res on his first half at 8:45am.  I expect to pass through at about 9:00am.  Come out to support us and take pics.  Chris is pushing to break 3:20.  I hope to finish in 3:45.

Shoes & Brews

06 Saturday Sep 2014

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Leadville 1210The day after last Saturday’s nightmarish trail run, I went to Shoes & Brews to buy this new pair of trail running shoes.  The New Balance Leadville 1210s.  This is how you recover from a bad run; you buy a new pair of shoes.  Running’s not complicated.

This was my first visit since they opened.  How brilliant is this?  They sell running shoes and related gear.  And they sell a unique selection of tap beer in an attached pub.  I still wasn’t feeling up to par Sunday, so I can’t critique the brews.  But I just like having the option.  They organize group runs along the Longmont Greenbelt on Saturday mornings and supply Scratch sports drink along the route.  Check them out.

I got some good runs in during the work week, although my legs felt heavy most days.  Felt so much better this morning though.  I went out early on the LoBo Trail for 21 miles.  The temperature started out well below 60°.  It was only 64° three hours later when I finished.  Rain clouds hung low, nearly kissing the ground.  I love Colorado clouds.

The cool weather supported a fast pace.  My goal wasn’t speed of course, simply the miles.  I suspect I started out fast to stay warm.  I ran a consistent 8:30 pace the first 12 miles.  I ran into Chris Price after 6 miles.  He ran 15 miles at a 7:30 pace.  Wow.  By 15 miles, I slowed down to a 9 minute clip.  My overall average came out at 8:50 per mile.  Makes me think, with similar conditions, I can expect to run a 9 minute pace for the Boulder Marathon in October.  Hope so.  Chris will be running as well and I suspect I might hang with him for his first two miles.  He starts out slow at around a 9 minute pace.  He’ll speed up to a 7 or so minute pace.  I imagine I’ll speed up to 8 minutes and then settle down to 8:30.  Then 9 minutes.

I started to feel fatigue today at 12 miles.  My arm started to hurt after 15 miles.  That’s not unusual in a marathon, that muscles you would not normally associate with running begin to hurt.  In addition to breaking in my new shoes, I experimented with two new nutritional supplies.  I loaded up on 70 ounces of Skratch in my Camelbak.  With the cool weather, I only drank about 30 ounces.  Scratch is brewed in Boulder.  It’s highly valued by runners and analysts for its even digestion on long runs and bike rides.  I also ate three Hammer Gels, one at 6, then 10 and again at 12 miles.  I was quite pleased with these gels because normally they make me want to puke.  These were so flavor neutral that I didn’t even need to rinse out my mouth after eating them.  I didn’t experience any gastrointestinal distress today so I think both these products will work out nicely for the marathon.  I’m considering wearing my camelbak so I can drink something more nutritional than the free Gatorade at the aid stations.

What Doesn’t Kill You Makes You Slower

18 Saturday Feb 2012

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After enjoying Austin’s fine eateries this weekend, I’ll be rising early tomorrow to run the Austin Half Marathon.  Registering for this run served its purpose which was to keep me training through the winter.  Not that I lost any measurable weight but I know I can run 13 miles.  I ran 13 last Sunday in the rain.  The next day, my throat was sore and I had an annoying cough.  I don’t think it’s a cold, I suspect allergies.  Austin is suffering from their worse drought in eons and yet it’s rained nearly every day I’ve been down here.  It’s floodin’ down in Texas.  Hence, the mold count is high and it was only a matter of time before I began to display symptoms.

This isn’t going to stop me from running tomorrow.  My cough got bad enough that I didn’t run yesterday or today.  I would have run though if not for the allergies.  I’m not worried about keeping my legs fresh because I’m simply going to treat tomorrow like any other workout.  It’s not like I’ll be racing.  But I would like to think I could feel strong.  I’ve doubled my distance from 3 to 6 miles since traveling to Austin two weeks ago and I can feel my stride quickening.

And you know, I’ve been struggling with plantar fasciitis.  Not that I’ve healed myself of that little malady, but I have taken control of it with some good shoes and by wearing the Strassburg sock every night.  If Jesus loved runners instead of Tebow and Lin then I would be rewarded for all this training.  Instead it’s a constant uphill struggle.  My age alone conspires against me.  I need a good two miles before I sufficiently loosen up and find my stride.  I shouldn’t have these additional hurdles.

I’m not sure what to expect from this sore throat and cough tomorrow.  I know my foot will loosen up.  Unless I actually do have a cold, allergies shouldn’t impact me too much considering I won’t be pushing my pace too hard.  It would certainly hinder me if I were racing balls out, but it’s been decades since I could do that.  Still, I could use a little help here.  The full marathon kicked my butt last year and I was hoping to find this year’s half marathon more enjoyable.  The weather is supposed to clear by race time, but I won’t be surprised if it’s floodin’, and all the telephone lines are down.

Regardless of the weather, my foot or the mold count, I’m ready for tomorrow and I’m going to enjoy the atmosphere that is Austin.  The Austin News is on right now playing a story about all the cancer survivors that will be running.  Understand, this is the Lance Armstrong sponsored LiveStrong Austin Marathon.  So I’m not going to whine anymore.  You know what Wall Street and Lance Armstrong have in common?  They’re both too big to fail.  My brother made that one up.  I picked up my race packet at Palmer Events Center this afternoon.  What a party!  For runners with any cash remaining from the triple digit entry fee, a thousand sports vendors were lined up selling their wares.  I was actually looking forward to this as an opportunity to buy some new ear buds.  I’ve read in some running blogs about Yurbuds and was curious to see them.  Naturally there was a booth and I tried them out.  The reviews said these are the absolute best ear buds for running in terms of handling sweat and fitting.  Some negative reviews dissed the sound quality.  I suspect the poor audio quality was associated with the cheaper versions.  Yurbuds come in 3 or 4 models and the ones I tried out support an iPhone and sounded decent.  I bought them and will wear them tomorrow.

I haven’t been running with music much lately but thought I would again.  I do suspect I run faster to music.  It’ll keep me from thinking about work for sure and that’s a good enough reason to run with music.  Gonna work on a new runner’s playlist right after publishing this blog.  I also picked up some 1 ounce energy packets at Palmer.  I bought two Hammer Gels, one GU Energy Gel and one GU Roctane.  I’ll study their nutritional values a little more carefully and select two to carry in my pocket for the run.  I’ll probably eat one at 6 miles and the other around 10 miles.  For anyone interested in following my progress on the Austin Marathon App, my bib number is 16012.