Posts Tagged ‘energy gels’
Last 20 Miler Approaches
It’s the eve of my last 20 mile run and I’m approaching it just like I am going to approach marathon day. Everything I’ve read has said it’s crucial to do at least one of your long runs exactly like you are going to do the marathon so you’ll know what does and doesn’t work. For me this means a number of things…
1) Having the perfect play list. I’ll upload my list to the blog when it’s just right, but what I’m working with now is pretty close. It’s a good mix with Miami specific tunes, a few odd balls, and some of the usual running songs.
2) The right clothes. I don’t know how much time I’ve put into this, but as someone who hates to shop, the time I’ve spent looking for shorts, a shirt, and a sports bra seems extremely excessive. …but I think it is going to be worth it. For the longest time, I ran in old basketball shorts because its what I had, they seemed to work fine, and I liked the length. (I have extremely long legs and the short length of many running shorts can make me uncomfortable.) The first time I ran in proper running shorts I was surprised to notice a difference in the ease of my stride and the weight of the material. In addition, I have a fitted mesh tank top that I’ve already tried and I really like. My friend, Maureen, sowed small pockets onto the front of it to hold my energy chews. Tomorrow I’ll try the actually using the pockets for the first time. I’ve had a terrible time finding a sports bra that doesn’t chafe during long runs. I’m still looking for a good one…
3) Food. I started preparing this afternoon after my five mile pace run. I came home and ate pasta and a Bocca Burger… A good mix of carbs and protein I thought. Then, for a treat I had some angel food cake. J I wanted some frozen yogurt or something, but have read that avoiding dairy is a good idea. I’ve also been very conscious of my water consumption, and I’ve been forcing myself to drink a lot. In the morning, I’ll have a cup of coffee, bagel, and maybe a banana. I have a couple energy chews I’ll take on my run to replace the carbs and sodium I lose. I will also take a gel in case I get really desperate, but gosh, they are hard to stomach. Blah!
4) Getting rest. My work Christmas party was tonight as well as the going away party for the commentator on my politics show. I am missing both so I can get to bed early and wake up fresh with lots of energy. With that said, it’s approaching 10:00 in Missouri and time for me to turn in… Tomorrow is going to be a great day!
