I woke up at 3:15 Thursday morning and ran just over 20 miles. This was the "long" run before the race - exactly one month away.
I realized why tapering is so important - I ran 20 miles just 5 days after running 18. My muscles were still a bit tired and sore from the previous run and I could tell by about the 8 mile mark that I didn't have the same energy I did a few days earlier. That said, I finished 20 in about 3 1/2 hours, which is slower than my marathon pace but the goal was to get the distance and not necessarily the time.
One of the things I like to do on long runs is pay close attention to my energy level and energy consumption. I've found that after about 75 minutes I need to start taking a gel supplement about every 45 minutes. I'll stay well hydrated (once you feel thirsty it's too late) and supplement water with a sports drink like Powerade. Staying ahead of the energy curve is critical in a race as nothing feels worse than running out of juice. I've also picked a gel I like - GU vanilla tastes good and doesn't make me feel bad (I've tried some that do not necessarily agree with my stomach). I'll be taking several to Chicago.
What's next? I've got 3 runs scheduled this week and I'm running the Boulder 1/2 Marathon on Sunday.
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