What didn’t I try today?
You know that old adage, “Never try anything new on race day”? I’ve reinterpreted it to mean, “Do lots of new stuff on all your training runs.”
Today I:
1. Brought 2 handhelds (40 oz. total)
2. Took S!Caps (electrolyte supplements)
3. Took 2 gels
4. Diluted said gels in one of the bottles
5. Peed standing up on a usually well-populated trail
6. Stopped at a gas station for more water (20 oz.)
To start with, even though I set my alarm for 5:30am (scorcher today), the stupid cat started talking loudly at about 4:30 (damn attention whore), so I got up at 5:00, giving me about 4 hours worth of snooze. This was the only thing lacking in today’s adventure.
Oh, that and the fact that in searching for a bathroom I’d seen on an online trail map, I stopped to ask a guy if he knew about this mystery bathroom but forgot to turn my Garmin back on for a chunk of time, so my planned 16 miler became 17.15 (I was being stubborn…did not want to go back home with less than 16 on the display of my Garmin). Turns out the maps that are actually on the trail show no sign of that bathroom, so the Wissahickon Running Club needs to update their website. Too bad, as it would have been a well-situated place for water bottle refilling.
Over the past few days, I’ve been thinking about gels and how to deal with them, and spurred by my love for the clip-on pocket, I just ordered a clip-on gel flask. I think that’s the perfect answer because I could dilute them to milkshake thickness as opposed to the original snot consistency, avoid sticky fingers (which is an annoyance every time I open one of those suckers), not to mention I won’t have to open them on the run or look for a garbage can when I’m done and who likes sucking foil, anyway?
But a gel flask would have been overkill today because I was already having to deal with 2 handhelds (which worked just fine, btw!). I even avoided using my clip-on pocket by designating one of the handhelds as my gel bottle, dissolving two vanilla gels into it before I left the house. It was surprisingly palatable considering how warm it was by the time I drank it.
I took an S!Cap before I left and one each hour for the next couple hours, then one last one after I hit the gas station for more water, because I downed most of that sucker in just a few minutes. I could have taken more of the caps - it says every 1/2 hour when it’s hot and it was 80 degrees out when I started - but since I was doing all this new stuff at once, I didn’t want to chance anything weird happening, like bloating up.
As for peeing standing up, it’s something I tried while hiking on vacation and it’s a quick and easy way to relieve yourself, even if you’re a girl. I also realized today that from that back, you can’t even tell what I’m up to, so how handy is that? Anyway, it was early and there were few people on the trail, so I thought, “why not?” Plus, I was literally soaking in sweat, so I figured if I missed, no one could tell, anyway. Lol.
So I ended up drinking 60 oz liquids on the run, plus 16 more when I got home. I’m happy to have finally gone to that gas station, it’s good to know that stopping like that isn’t a big deal. I’d always avoided it because it’s another street crossing and then having to stop the clock for the purchase is an annoyance (oh god…there goes my training!). Even though a water fountain was only 2 miles away, I’d been so good today about giving my body what it needed that it was a no brainer. Plus I was dying.
I won’t lie, it wasn’t an easy run as hot as it was, and I started faster than Pfitz’s “MP + 20%”, but I still managed to make it a progression run and my pace was good despite carrying both water bottles. More importantly, I didn’t experience any pains, twinges or aches anywhere the entire run. Fabulous!
As far as gels, they definitely helped, though I didn’t feel it as a burst of energy, likely due to me drinking them in 20oz of water - a slow and steady intake. It was a little too easy to drink though, I finished the gel/water bottle around the time I was supposed to take the 2nd gel. Also, I didn’t eat anything before the run, so that would have probably helped, too. Live and learn.
Once I got home, a frigid bath sounded downright luxurious, so I soaked the ole bones in cold water and then afterwards, ate the best hot dog I’ve ever had. It might be time for a nap now, but first…must kill the cat.
Tags: gels, hydration, long run, pfitz 18/55
June 29th, 2008 at 1:32 pm
Like the new banner for your blog!
June 29th, 2008 at 1:35 pm
I dont think they mean for you to try everything on one run.
And all this time I thought using any tree to pee was an advantage of being a guy only.
June 29th, 2008 at 1:47 pm
Thanks, Mike! Much appreciated.
Bruce, I know, lol…everything but the kitchen sink. As for the pee thing, not to worry, you will always have the advantage when it comes to ease and targeting.
June 30th, 2008 at 10:40 pm
Hi Flo,
Reading about your experiments with interest.
I have not tried handhelds, but use a belt bottle-holster thing that’s a little annoying, but much better than not having water. So how do you operate the garmin or reach into a pocket when you have two handhelds? Can you fit them both onto one hand temporarily? Now that I think about it, the only people I know that carry handhelds are all women, so perhaps the belts are less uncomfortable on male waists, or something.
My other thought is a specificity-of-training thing. Will your running style become optimized for having weights in your hands? Perhaps I’m just a worrywart…
That standup technique could come in useful in an actual race!
Jim E.
June 30th, 2008 at 11:06 pm
Hi Jim, yeah, I used a belt last year and it was so irritating because it always snuck up to my waist and I can’t stand stuff around my stomach, so I’d have to tighten it reeeeally tight into my hipbones. The handhelds are less hassle, faster to get out of the house with, need no adjusting and are an improvement as far as armswing - I used to brush against my belted bottles quite a bit, so I’d shift my swing to compensate or adjust the bottles throughout the run.
Btw, I think it’s a credit to the shape of the handhelds I’m using (Amphipod) that it’s a comfortable fit for my little hands. I look at those round bottle handhelds and am doubtful it’d work out as well.
The night before I actually practiced how I’d take one off when I needed (crook of arm or hold two together? gel bottle in left or right hand? decisions, decisions). But once I was out, I was able to do everything I needed on the run without thinking. I might have taken one off to open the other bottle’s zipper for an S! Cap (I can’t remember, though I know I didn’t stop), but I was able to change screens on the Garmin and change songs and volume level on my mp3 player without any shifting.
I did make one concession: the hanky I carry in the back of my shorts was impossible to deal with there, so I stopped and tied it around my non-Garmin wielding wrist. Turned out to be a very convenient sweat rag.
Funny you mention the weight in my arms. There was a guy out the same day running with 5-8lbs dumbbells! Now that’s crazy! But don’t you worry, I’m not taking them every run, just the longer ones that take me into a route without water stops.
And you bet! The standing up deal will be great for races, just gotta perfect my technique in the coming months.
Guess I wrote you a book, lol.