Fueling update......

Saturday, I carried Clif Shot electrolyte in a bottle and in my Nathan and I tried an e-Gel in the flask. Hard to get down but since it was diluted in water I did get it down. No issues but we were only out for 2 hours and 45 minutes. I do think if I am going to do gels, I would need to go back to water. My fear is that they will shock my system as I am not sure if I can regulate them properly. I think the flask should help as it reduces the mess of the packets.

Sunday went short (6 miles) and only drank water.

Today, ran 12, the first 6 with Londell and the second 6 with Londell and Shelly, just drank my Clif Shot electrolyte but did carry it in a bottle as well as the Nathan to make sure I was drinking enough. Londell set an initial pace which was hard for me, HR was around 140. The achilles held during it so I was ok with it, it just showed that I do have a ways to go to get back some speed and endurance. The 2nd 6 miles we slowed a bit, HR dropped to lower 130's. The achilles got tight when I tried to push it at the end so I just backed off. Felt ok afterwards, tomorrow will tell.

The nice part about the weekend is that I did get in 31 miles and I am still walking. Sure beats out the 22 miles the previous 3 weeks where each run basically just hurt.

I also found the following post on gels on a blog called RunnerDude's. In taking a quick scan, it looks like he has a nice blog with some decent information.

So as to fueling update, nothing much to report, I do think that the advice I got from Adam, Kel, Steve, Wayne, Londell and others makes the most sense. Here is my summary of your advice; Drink and eat what you can, do it early and don't freak about it.

Fueling experiments to begin again....

My fueling experiments begin again, a couple years ago with regards to fueling I had hit bottom. I had tried gels, bars, electrolyte drinks and a handful of other things all with no success. The best I could do was a draw. I found that with all of the methods, I would experience stomach issues especially on hot days. Then I read something somewhere that said if you want to avoid issues that you should quit shocking your system. The article said if you are going to take in electrolyte, do it from the start to the finish. So I tried this in the fall of 2007. The first race I did it in was the Kansas City Marathon and it reached temps in the mid 80s. It worked, I didn't run a great race as I went out too quick on the hills but I had no major stomach issues. I then ran quite a few races in 2008 many in hot weather including Afton and the Grizzly marathon. It worked again, I still had some energy issues later in the races but did not get sick not even once.

All was going well until this year, I had issues in Kansas City during the Run Toto Run 50k and again at the Chippewa 50k. In thinking through both of those, I think the issue was simply dehydration related to using the Nathan. At KC, it froze up and it took me a while to get it unfrozen, I don't think I took in enough fluids early in the race and at Chippewa, I simply didn't drink enough. I agree with Steve L., I can't monitor my intake using my Nathan so to correct that, I will start all races with at least one bottle along with my Nathan.

So that should get me through marathons and 50ks but what about my 50 miler? What do I take in for extra energy and when do I take it?

So to begin the experiment, I am going to plan on using what Wayne sent me this weekend. My plan is to try his e-Gels along with my Clif Shot electrolyte. He sent me a gel flask which I have never used so my plan is to water down the gel so I don't have to worry about shocking my stomach. Wayne had told me he would have up to 3 e-Gels in a flask and top it off with water. I will try one packet today and maybe two tomorrow or Monday.

The only question I have which will require me to do a bit of research what is the nutritional difference between 20 oz of Clif Shot electrolyte and a Clif Shot gel packet and then what about e-Gel versus e-Fuel versus Clif Shot?

Here is my quick comparison, thanks to the gel and electrolyte comparison charts you can find on the CrankSports website.

What does this all mean? I can easily admit I don't know.

One thing that I did notice is that my Clif Shot electrolyte has a lot of sodium even though I dilute it a bit (approximately to 2/3 of what's in the table), I am still taking in around 300 mg of sodium per bottle, so should I cut back on my use of Succeed S Caps? I do have swelling issues but I did before I took in the electrolyte and before I took in S Caps, so you got me.

One thing I am curious about and will need to spend a bit more time researching unless Mr. Q wants to enlighten me. Is there any difference between any of these for providing energy during an event and what else if anything (like protein, etc...) do you have to get into your body for the longer distances?

Running update and a book review????

I am making progress just not real fast progress. I was sick over the weekend so the long run was put off. I decided to take a 1/2 day off and run 13 miles with Ky today, what a nice day, almost felt like summer :-). Things didn't work out for either of us, we stopped after 6 miles, my right ankle/foot/achilles was tight the whole way. Although I did discover some good news, I am pretty sure it's not the achilles nor is it the foot or the ankle. I am about 90% convinced its the calf muscle right at the achilles. After the run as I was moving it all around and all seemed ok except when I felt around the upper achilles and that was definitely a tender spot. I tore it years ago right in the same location and had thought it was a thing of the past. The past may have returned. I did go back out later in the afternoon with the thought of getting in the additional miles, good thought, bad reality. It was still too tight and hurt pretty much on every step.

So time to stretch, ice and ramp the mileage. I am about 90% sure that Minneapolis is out but am withholding a final decision until after this weekend. By then I will know my daughters soccer schedule for that weekend and will have a few more data points to think about.

On a non-running front, I am reading a few books. I am incapable of doing a Steve Q. analysis but I may post my thoughts. One of the books is the Paleo diet, I picked it up at the library, what a great library system we have in Dakota County and within the state of MN. My initial thoughts on it is that it does make a degree of sense except I don't eat that much meat which would be a problem along with the fact that dairy and pasta would be out. probably not good. I will finish it up over the next day or two and post my final thoughts, I do know the diet that I think makes the most sense is the Mediterranean diet.

Another book, which I do plan to review is called "Running with the Devil" which I received a free copy of based on the fact that I would post about it. I am happy to give anyone a plug who wants to provide samples (thinking Vasque, North Face, Clif Shot, BodyGlide and many many more products). My plan is to read it over Memorial Day and post about it then.

Here is the info they sent out,

"RUNNING FROM THE DEVIL" by Jamie Freveletti, a runner (she competed at the Masters Indoor Championships in the 3000m last month), ultramarathon crew member, and trial lawyer.

about the author www.JamieFreveletti.com

about the book http://www.harpercollins.com/books/9780061684227/Running_from_the_Devil/index.aspx

New York Times bestselling author Lee Child called RUNNING FROM THE DEVIL "Just terrific."

BOOK DESCRIPTION:
A race against evil . . .

Emma Caldridge, a chemist for a cosmetics company, is en route from Miami to Bogotá when her plane is hijacked and spins out of control into the mountains near the Venezuelan border. Thrown unhurt from the wreckage, she can do nothing but watch as guerrillas take the other passengers hostage. An endurance marathon runner, Emma silently trails the guerrillas and their captives, using her athletic prowess and scientific knowledge to stay alive. Those skills become essential when she discovers an injured passenger, secret government agent Cameron Sumner, separated from the group. Together they follow the hostages, staying one step ahead by staying one step behind. Meanwhile, as news of the hijacking breaks in Washington, the Department of Defense turns to Edward Banner, former military officer and current CEO of a security consulting firm, for help. Banner quickly sends a special task force to the crash site, intent on locating the survivors before it’s too late. But finding Emma and Sumner is only the beginning, as Banner starts to realize that Emma was on a personal mission when the plane went down. There is more to the beautiful, talented biochemist than anyone ever imagined, for in her possession is a volatile biological weapon in an ingenious disguise, one that her enemies have set for auction to the highest bidder.

Not running......

I gave myself the week off to heal up and because the time schedule wasn't going to work out too well so I figured a bit time of time off would work for both the mind and the body. The pain is mostly gone when I am walking, a few twinges on stairs. So I plan to try and run tomorrow, schedule permitting which will probably be a problem. I have ruled out Stillwater as I am not in marathon shape, hold it, even without the time off I wasn't in marathon shape :-).

First, I have to gloat a bit about my daughter who graduated from college this past weekend. My wife and I are so proud of her. When she went off to college we knew she had the aptitude to do well and an attitude that might have prevented that. She matured each year and kept at it. She managed to balance the scholastic and social and finished up graduating magna cum laude with a degree in social work in the parent mandated 4 years. Fabulous work daughter, now you just need some luck on the job front.

Second, Wayne has fixed me up with a whole bunch of e-Gel (thank you Wayne and good luck at Superior, don't worry I won't be joining you). I want to try it out but will wait until I run longer over the weekend as I want to see if I can eat it and keep it down with no stomach issues. That will be the first test, the second test will be to repeat the test by using it in a marathon with success. Steve L. also mentioned in a comment awhile back that he carries his fluids in a bottle to maintain an understanding of his fluid intake. I used to do that but when I switched to the Nathan I quit carrying a bottle. I think I will follow his advice and carry a bottle but I plan to wear the Nathan and will simply fill it up as I run, that way I can continue with my clif shot or e-gel electrolyte and keep track up of the fluids. Heck, I blame not carrying the bottle as the reason I fell and hurt the hand/wrist. I used to fall and land on my hand but the bottle would hit and pop out of my hand basically absorbing the fall or at least that's my theory.

Last, I am still thinking maybe for Minneapolis at the end of the month. Swan Lake is committed for the 2nd Sunday in June and Minneapolis would provide a nice final long run, so my thinking is, find the time to run during the remainder of the week, run 13 or more on a long run over the weekend and see if it all holds together. I then have 2 weeks to get in additional long runs and then either run the marathon or get in a 20+ mile final long run, then taper for a week, run Swan Lake, take a couple weeks to recover and run Afton. If the foot/ankle doesn't hold together I will back off of Minneapolis and just work towards Swan Lake. Either way, I think I have something that looks like a plan.

Sort of running again?

I mentioned in my last post that I thought I was back on track physically but I may have been a bit premature as I have struggled with my recent runs.

I ran last Friday and had to abort after 3 miles. I figured it was normal post race first run pain. My major pain was from the right ankle/Achilles/foot area, it felt pounded and produced sporadic sharp pain. I ran Saturday with Karyn, thinking 13 miles, I was tight from the start and just seemed to get tighter, the last 4 miles were not very enjoyable. I iced it afterward which for me is not a good thing. I hate ice.

Took Sunday and Monday off, ran today or should I say hobbled. I felt better, no pain on every step but the right leg is still not right. I am way too tight all the way into the lower back. My Achilles is what will generate sharp pain along with the ankle and the heel where the Achilles attaches. The small uphills in Lebanon Hills didn't seem so small and I had to either walk or kind of go up sideways to avoid sharp Achilles pain.

My only problem is I am not sure how I injured it. I know at Chippewa I rolled both ankles and I also took a misstep into a hole with the right which did seem to torque it. At the time, I just kept running and eventually laced it tighter as I had other issues that were requiring my attention so I kind of forgot about it. After Chippewa, I walked around and I figured it was just normal post race tenderness. No major swelling, just tender when I walked up/down and changed directions.

Just what I didn't need, another thing to slow me down and get me off of a consistent training plan. Oh well, this will heal given time, so I will wrap it, ice it, stretch and I will just try to show some patience.

Back running, sort of

Chippewa took its toll on me both physically and mentally but I think I am almost through both.

First a quick update on the physical. I come away with no major issues although todays and yesterdays runs did show that I do have some work to do yet. I have a sore right ankle/foot/achilles and a tight left hamstring. I think that all of the right ankle/foot/achilles stuff is from where I stepped in a hole at Chippewa and the hamstring probably from overcompensating. I think some good stretching should take care of everything as running my way through it doesn't seem to be working. My wrist/hand that I fell on again, is ok. Still tender but I have no additional pain from Chippewa so no setback there.

About the mental side of me, that is more of a struggle but I think I am starting to get it all figured out. I want to run a 50 this year but I have had many doubts about my ability to do so. Heck, I have many doubts about everything when I think about it. I am one of those guys who acts like he can do it but in the back of my mind I am not always so sure, maybe a lot of folks are like that. Anyway, in both 50k's this year I have had issues that I didn't expect which have increased my doubts. It may be that my approach this year is wrong as in my mind, in order to do a 50 miler a 50k should be easy or at least predictable. I did 3 last year so I figured they would be easier this year and they seem harder. Where did this thinking come from as I have yet to do any marathon where I am good at predicting the end result nor have I found any of them easy so why did I fall into this thinking about 50ks? So back to reality 50k's are not supposed to be easy.

I was listening to a couple of podcasts this week which have helped me get things back into perspective. The first is called Endurance Planet and the episode was "Patience and Endurance - 4-28-2009" which was an interview with pro triathlete Heath Thurston. What I found interesting is that he talked about everyone dealing with a desire to quit. I thought it was just me, my belief is that everyone else runs a great race and never doubt themselves and only I deal with these doubts. Ok, maybe that's not rational to think this way but I have beaten myself up for having these low points. Usually a few days later, I accept that getting through them is good but I always have felt that these moments show my weakness.

The other podcast is called Running Stupid and Coach Ken is a lot like me except he seems like an outgoing social kind of guy where I am not. Although my wife reminded me on today's run that I can be when the topic is one I enjoy like running, computers, Bears football (have I mentioned the Super Bowl yet :-). Back to Coach Ken, his latest podcast was about his Mt Diablo 50 miler where he struggled to make the cuts. My fear as well for 50 miles along with getting lost and getting off course. Listening to this podcast helped remind me yet again of what it's all about.

So maybe now I have figured it out, any marathon, 50k and probably the distances beyond will have some bad stretches where I will doubt myself. Turns out I am not alone in these doubts. I just need to work my way through it as I usually have. That's why I added a quote that I have always liked on my blog.

“Do what you can, with what you have, where you are ” ~ Theodore Roosevelt

My motto going forward, if the day turns bad, I will simply mentally refer back to this quote and deal with the situation I am experiencing and hopefully stop, smile and then continue on my way with the right attitude. No more beating myself up over everything. As many have said regardless of my times I am doing what a lot of folks have yet to do so I should just relax a bit and enjoy myself during the event both inwardly and outwardly.