Energy Gels and

The first time I tried a GU I thought I would lose it. It was like a big wad of ….. (you don’t want to know) … in my mouth. I thought there was no way I would be able to suck those things down while running. How things change. I was determined to get used to energy gels since most runners I spoke to used them and they were easy to carry. So I adapted. BUT… I still make faces when swallowing that big glob of GU.

Do they work? From Crank Sports

…there are two halves in a marathon – the first 20 miles and the last 10 kilometers. One reason for this is that your glycogen stores (your primary source of energy) can only hold about 2,000 calories and the average person burns approximately 100 calories per mile. Do the math and you’ll see that your glycogen stores can only provide enough energy to take you approximately 20 miles. Fat can also be used for energy, but fat is a very inefficient fuel – you won’t be setting any speed records relying on fat alone!
Fortunately there is a third source of energy – blood sugar. The beauty of energy gels is that (when taken properly) they are rapidly absorbed in your small intestine, thus providing energy in the form of blood sugar that can supplement your glycogen stores. If you start consuming energy gel early enough in the race you can greatly reduce your body’s need to rely on fat as an energy source.

Running 26.2 miles requires a sufficient amount of fuel to get from point A to point B. You can’t run on a full belly since blood will be diverted from your “running” muscles to your digestive system and this is the cause for gastrointestinal distress (hence the reason for eating 2 to 4 hours ahead of start time). The gel packs work because they offer about 100 to 110 calories of easily digestible carbohydrate fuel (approximately 35 grams). You can get gels that have caffeine or without.

They come in a variety of flavors.

They must be washed down with water for easier and faster digestion. Plus, if you don’t wash them down with water, it’s more than likely a big clump of GEL will sit in your throat.  With crowds lining the streets, like at Boston, you don’t want to be hawking lugees along while you run…especially if you plan on planting your lips on one of those Wellesley girls. 

When and how much depends on the runner but generally 30 to 60 grams of carbohydrate per hour is sufficient. Key: Take the gel BEFORE you feel fatigued. Make sure to drink water and of course sports drink for electrolytes, especially it you sweat a lot or if it’s a hot day.

*If gels really don’t work for you, honey sticks are delicious! Here is a super suggestion from Running Fit:

First of all, all gels are not created equal. There are so many different formulas that change more than just the taste of the gel. During a marathon, if you have eaten healthy the days before, and properly hydrated before and during the race, it is possible to develop a sodium deficiency during the race. This could be causing an aversion to sweetness and a craving for pretzels. The good news is that some of the gels have added sodium to their product to prevent this. Powergel has 4 times the sodium of GU, and E-Gel has added electrolytes as well. Also some of the gels (like E-Gel) have more calories than GU, and you could take them less often.

Secondly, many people cannot stomach the texture of gels and have turned to alternatives such as Clif Shot Bloks, (they taste a lot like gummy bears) or sport beans (which are electrolyte infused jelly beans). The Margarita flavor of the Clif Shot Bloks is actually quite salty and may satisfy that craving.

Remember: Experiment before the race and NOT during.

Signs of Springs –  April 8th, a Friday early evening in Upstate New York

But look what was hiding in the trees…

Just a loving couple snuggled within the weeds

Two in yellow, the first of their kind, rising to the occasion of Spring.

The daffodils, not quite ready to open up and see the light

The flowing creek is back in action and has washed away all signs of winter.

Look Mom!  I found my ball!  It was buried ALLLLLL Winter. LETS PLAY!

Wonderful cool mornings and warm afternoons.  You just can’t beat that.

What are the early signs of Spring at your house?

It only happens once, that first marathon.  Now, I call myself a runner.

The Wine Glass Marathon, October 3, 2010. 

The course: The Marathon starts at Philips Lighting in Bath, NY and finishes at Centerway Square in historic Corning, New York.

The weather:  It was 40 degrees when the gun went off and expected to approach 59 degrees as the day’s high.  The sun smiled on us a few times during the course of the run.

First, The day before, Saturday Events: 

We left for Corning at 9:20 am, leaving with family (Sue and Sam) and friends (Nancy and Bob).

It was a 3 hour drive to the Expo held at the finish line in Corning.  After a quick package pickup

(very organized and efficient), we browsed the apparel tent.  I picked up a long sleeve shirt with a zip pocket at the neck line since it was going to be a cool start.

1PM and we were ready for lunch.  Cafe London served us well with 2 mini pizza’s for starters.   I had a veggie salad with chick peas, corn, peas, assorted greens, candied walnuts and raisins in a simple oil and vinegar dressing. Lots of water to wash it down.

We meandered about the Corning Glass Museum for  a short time, ogling over the gorgeous glass sculptures.  Lots of glass pumpkins for Fall.

My left foot was hinting at a little pain now and then.  I wondered if it was simply “ghost pain” and ignored it.  Walking back to the Expo, I snacked on half a baked sweet potato. REALLY! who carries a sweet potato in their purse other than a paranoid runner?!!

Pre Race Dinner: 

Tony R’s Steak and Seafood was located in a beautiful old building which used to be a bank.  This was the scene of a very delicious and fun dinner.  I missed my glass of wine but sneaked a small sip of Ted’s Louis Martini Cab.  Mmmmm!

Sam began the festive meal with a dirty martini which looked good but just couldn’t be justified as inclusion in my list of allowable pre race liquids.

We all went wild over our dinners.  Everything was delicious.  I had to request a very bland pasta dish for my meal due to running the following day.  It was simply seared scallops and shrimp over angel hair pasta with a light marinara on the side.  I drizzled just a tad over my fish and pasta.  Ted and I shared a huge plate of broccoli.  Although it was good, I ate it regretting the other delicacies I was missing.

We were back at the hotel and in bed by 10 pm for a restless nights sleep on my part, as you might imagine.

RACE DAY

I woke up several times during the night.  My phone alarm went off at 4:30 am and as a back up, the room alarm clock buzzed at 4:40 am.  First running fuel:  banana and peanut butter.   Very difficult to choke down upon wakening at 4:40 am.

I read my motivational blurt to get my mind away from the anxiety: Your legs and lungs will burn. Have a “bring it on” attitude and remind yourself you wanted this:  The challenge of pushing yourself to achieve something new.

I put my number on my shirt then removed it and put back on 4 times until finally settling on pinning it to my skort.  Number 292.   Number pinning, reading motivational quotes, then Ted and I were on our way to the buses at 6 am.

I ate three quarters of a Marathon Energy bar and then we reached the drop off.

It was cold, 39 degrees when the bus arrived at the starting point.  We were not allowed inside the Philips Lighting building so runners were huddled by the tree lights for warmth. There was an hour of trying to keep warm before the start.  I paced back an forth among the crowd and got in porta pottie lines 4 times.  Of course I chose a different line each time so no one would suspect my frequent visits.  With my nervous stomach and the cold, it was time well spent.

At 7:55, I found my place at the start right in between the 3:40 pacer and the 3:50 pacer.   I really didn’t want to be so focused on pacers but it couldn’t be helped.  In fact, at the end of the race, it actually helped me meet my middle goal time.

We took off at 8:01 according to Garmin.  I wasn’t feeling much like running AT ALL.  My feet were so frozen, I couldn’t feel them.  By mile 2, shirts, gloves and hats were tossed from all directions by the mass of runners as we all warmed up on our run. 

Fueling miles: Mile 4.5 I had a Gu.  Mile 6 –7 I ate 4 Sports Beans.  Mile 11.8 Gu with caffeine.  Mile 13 and 15 more beans and at mile 19, my final AccelGel with Caffeine.   I had a mix of Gatorade and Water at almost all of the 14 water stations.

At about mile 8, we approached the first relay point.  There were a lot of people and tons of support.   That really helps motivate a run when the legs start to tire.  The worst part of the race was between mile 11 and 13.2.  I wondered how I was going to run the rest of the way at that pace.  Then I thought “Quitting is NOT an option”. Once we past the half way point, my focus was on the “turn for home”.  Running became easier. 

At 16 miles, I saw my family and friends.  There was renewed energy like I was as fresh as the beginning of the day.  My pace turned to almost a sprint as I past them.  Words can’t describe the feeling of seeing my sister, Sam, Ted, Nancy,  Bob, Gene, and Mary Ellen.  They were all cheering with all they had, yelling “Go Joanne!”  I felt like such a star. It was AWESOME!

I handed off my red and white shirt to Ted and ran on with renewed leg power.  Sam said my top-of-the-head pony tail makes me that much easier to spot at it bobs up and down upon approach. 

I saw everyone again at mile 19

Just past the 2nd relay point and between 18 and 20 miles, I couldn’t help but think about the virtual “wall”. It never  happened.  If you train well, pace yourself well and pay attention to your nutrition, there is no wall to hit.  I felt great except for the pain in my foot which was more pronounced and my hamstrings were beginning to get tight.  Still, those pains weren’t enough to make me stop.

The best part of the race was from mile 22 to finish.  At 22, we turned into a tunnel then into Craig Park.  At this point, I was behind the 3:50 pacer. I DID NOT WANT TO BE THERE and knew I had to get past that group.  It was tough because we were on a narrow bike path so there were few opportunities to pass. I found my break free point and ran on, once again with renewed energy.   As we went down a steep but short hill, there were moans all around me as people felt the pain in their legs due to the run down hill.

Mile 24 “I’ve only got a little more to go. I can do this easily then I never have to run again in my entire life”.   At mile 25, a woman was encouraging her partner to push for that last mile and ”some change”.  The crowd was screaming  “You’re there! Give it your best! You got it!”.  It was the most rewarding 1.2 miles I’ve ever run in my life. I FLEW the final few hundred feet over the pedestrian bridge to finish in 3:46:51 chip time and  3:47:43 gun time.  I placed 17th in my age group out of 115.   520th out of over 1450 runners.  My splits were:  1:16:36, 1:18:05, and 1:12:10.  I’m a Boston Qualifier!  Wahoo!

Getting my medal and “aluminum robe”.

I showered at the Y and then it was lunch with my Peeps.

This was how hungry we were… no time for pics.

I had a wonderful veggie wrap until the onions got too me

Nancy gave me a little mascot that cheered me on as I got ready in the morning and met me with a smiling face in the afternoon.  I know I heard him say “Good job, Jo”.

My running partner was happy to see me when we got home

What a trip! What an accomplishment.  The question asked as soon as the race is over:  Would you run another?  At that point, NO!  Today, as I hobble around with sore legs and feet:  YES!

After race tips: 

1.  You might feel a bit sick.  Soda and ice helps.  I didn’t know what I wanted after the race.  The water was not ice cold from the finish line.  It wasn’t doing anything for me and my stomach was crying for something. Ted brought some ice and a diet coke.  Even though I don’t drink soda, that really helped settle my stomach.

 2.  You WILL tighten up quickly so keep walking if you can and sit down later.  I stood around with friends for a short time then sat on the ground.  Sitting isn’t good unless you have people who will help you get back up. 

3.  Eat as soon as you can after finishing and keep drinking water and electrolytes.  You probably won’t feel like eating but remember, refueling is just as important in recovery as pre-race fuel. 

4.  It’s going to hurt getting out of the car when you get home.  OUCH!!!!

If you have a marathon coming up, pace yourself. Run your own race.  Eat WISELY.  Have several thoughts that get you through those rough patches. You won’t know when those tough points in the race will hit but they will.  Fuel before you need to and enjoy the experience.  You trained hard and long for the moment. Quitting is NOT an option.  It’s only a few hours of the rest of you life and you can do it.

Saturday morning was my scheduled long run. To be honest, I am better mentally and physically if I take a day off running preceding my long run.  That didn’t happen this week due to the Special Olympics Torch run Friday. 

The morning run started out slow, Shane was with me.  We had a good hour and 10 minutes of trotting along. Two water stops for the Shaner.  The best part was finding the path into the parks.

The only draw back was the horse flies.  The photo was taken with my cell phone.  This run was the first run I had taken my cell with me because if I got a ways out and Shane got tired, I was going to call Ted to pick him up. That didn’t happen but what DID happen is that I discovered Pandora!   No head phones were needed so both Shane and I could listen to some hoppin’ Pop Country on our run. I think he liked it!  I even sang to him a little which he probably could have done without. 

After dropping Shane off at home I went out again and headed around the golf course.  A lot of people walking, cycling, and the Boilermaker training program runners were out and about today. 

At about an hour and 45 minutes, my stomach got heavy. I think that banana and PB I ate right before leaving the house with Shane finally hit rock bottom.  That feeling only lasted a few minutes.  I seemed to get my second wind.  My legs were tired and still very sore from Thursday’s leg workout but mentally I felt really good and got a second wind. 

Nutrition to fuel run:  1 banana with 1 TBS Peanut Butter.  8 oz water before leaving the house. and 3 sips during the course of the run.  No gels or other mid run carbs. 

Total miles:  12.03 for 2 hours and average pace about 10 min/mile.  Easy, long run done. 

Total miles this week:  35

Super good tasting and good for you cookie from Bob’s Red Mill!

Flourless Tahini Cookies!  That’s BRM’s recipe. The Apple Crumbles recipe is …..(hold your breath!)…….

FLOURLESS TAHINI COOKIES WITH FRESH PEAR – makes 2 dozen cookies

*The changes are noted below from Bob’s Red Mill recipe

• 3/4 cup tahini (sesame seed paste)  *BRM recipe used 1 cup
• 3/4 cup clover honey *BRM recipe used 1 cup
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 peeled, chopped fresh Bosc Pear *BRM recipe used 1/2 cup chopped mix dried fruit, soaked and drained.
• 3 cups GLUTEN FREE Quick cooking rolled oats – Bob’s Red Mill brand of course
• *BRM added 1 cup mixed nuts and seeds, chopped – Apple Crumbles did not add these.

Preheat oven to 350 F.  Line baking sheets with parchment paper.

In a bowl, combine the tahini, honey, vanilla, cinnamon, and pears (or soaked fruit).  Add the oats (and nuts and seeds if you are using) and blend well. 

Wet hands and form the mixture into small balls and place on cookie sheet. You will be able to roll about 4 balls before you have to re-wet your hands.  Flatten slightly onto cookie sheet.  Bake for 15 minutes or until slightly brown.

See more about PEARS on my Examiner site!

Do you have a favorite FLOURLESS cookie recipe?

Ten miles at a pace of 9.21.  I’ll take it.  Considering I stopped for photos, it was a good pace.

Let’s start this run re-cap with nutrition.  That’s always been my greatest concern when thinking about running longer distances. I began my ten mile run nutrition yesterday and it went like this:

• Breakfast:  1/2 cup Gluten Free Rolled oats cooked in water with 1/2 a banana, 1 TBS raisins and cinnamon. Topped off with 1 TBS Natural PB.  1 scoop of protein powder (20 g) with water and ice.  1/2 an orange.
• Mid Morning Snack:  3/4 of a  protein bar.  *I made sure the bar had less than 20 g of sugars in it because the sugar alcohols or the sorbitols in the bars can cause stomach upset. That goes for chewing gum as well. I cut down on the gum thinking I wanted to save my system.
• Lunch:  1 1/2 cups baby spinach + 2 radishes + 3 cherry tomatoes + 1/2 red bell pepper + 1/4 cup brown rice + 1 Veggie Burger.  Topped with balsamic vinegar mixed with a low fat raspberry dressing.
• Mid Day Snack:  1/2 cup Greek Style Fat Free yogurt + 1 TBS raisins + 1 TBS Tamari Almonds.
• Dinner:  ….Ahhhhh Friday night dinner.  We went to Chesterfields and here is my night before a run eats. NOTE:  I never have pasta but since that seems to be runners fuel, I opted to exchange bread for pasta.

I had to have my wine. It was a Cabernet.  Red wine = heart health, right?   

I couldn’t go with out the wonderful garlic bread offered at Chesterfields so we asked for it less all the oil on top.  I had one tiny slice off the end.

A wonderful garden salad with oil and balsamic vinegar and crumbly bleu cheese.  Before I tell you about my entree,  what Ted had was most interesting.  It was Sea bass on top of a Gorgonzola sauce.  Those 3 olives?  They are stuck on that fish with a piece of FRIED SPAGHETTI!  How cool! He said it was SO GOOD!

I had Tuna Puttanesca off the Lenten menu.  I didn’t eat much of the sauce, but it was wonderful and vibrant in flavor.  The pasta was sauce-less but I topped it with Parmesan cheese. I really wanted my dinner to be as bland as possible although the tuna was far from being bland.

I had to have my coffee. The first at Chesterfields, and the second at 8:15 pm when we got home.

I fell asleep on the couch about 10:00 pm and woke up 3 times during the night.  I drank so much water later in the day, plus the wine, then the coffee, my system can only hold so much.

The Day of The HEART RUN

Recap:  This was my takings from the Expo yesterday:

For the run, I wore my bib #1950.  I used the chapstick.  It was a nasty 18 degrees this morning. What happened to a nice warm run?!!! I didn’t wear the shirt but as I’m sitting here typing now, I have it on and it’s nice and comfy.

For the race, even though it was only 18 degrees, the sun was suppose to come out and I would much rather be cold to start and warm up rather than getting too hot early in the run.  I wore a sports bra, a turtle neck running shirt, a short sleeve running shirt over that, my long running pants, hiking socks, thin runners gloves (my thumbs did get a bit cold but by the end they were fine), a head band for my ears, visor, and my APPLE CRUMBLES EARRINGS.

I took a running belt so I could carry my car keys and camera. This is what I put in it:  2 tissues + chapstick + 2 natural pineapple energy chews (those were good but didn’t do much) + E-Drenaline + drivers license (didn’t want to leave my purse in the Jeep) + camera and keys.

At 7:50 am, I ate 1 banana with 1 TBS Natural PB.

At 7:20, I set off to drive to Home Depot where I like to park.  Then I jogged 1 mile up to the College to catch the bus for the run.

They were broadcasting the event in the gym

At 8 AM there was the call to get on the buses.  I saw Alex Carbone who flagged me down. He was so excited and he said  “I saw you and just had to tell you, I got a German Shepherd”.  You see Alex sees Shane and I running or walking early in the morning and he has a love for the breed. He gave in and got one, 7 month old German Shepherd pup. He plans on running with him in another year. Yay Alex!

We all got on the bus and waited. Waited some more. I sat with a nice lady named Karen.  We chatted and both got impatient waiting.  Finally, we pulled out and as the bus approached the start, it got amazingly foggy. Where’s the sun?!!!  It was cold!

See people blowing on their hands, stomping fee, and hugging themselves? 

I started slow, wanting to pace myself and feel good all the way from start to finish. I got behind 3 men, approaching their fifties, one was sixty and used them to pace myself.  The sixty year old started blowing out his nose.  You know, the one finger SNORT deal?  He did that, then said “I better be careful I’m used to running alone.”  As he looked behind and saw me, I said “Yeah. You’ll end up washing my shirt”.  All in good fun. 

Then Larry, a long time Road Runner – Runner, comes up and I picked up the pace, ran past the B-Blower, so Larry and I chatted for a while.  Alls good with Larry.  He told me they had 20 runners last week on the training run from Planet Fitness. Wow!

By the time I got to the 5 mile runners start, they had already gone, but there was an increase in road support by way of music and flags.

At about the 5 1/2 mile point, I met up with a work buddy of Ted’s, Kim Luker.  Kim is a fast runner and I chatted with her for as long as I could keep up with her. But we did some catching up. It was fun.

As we past the 3 mile runner start, they had just gone off and the crowd ahead increased tremendously.

Now there were all sorts of radio stations playing music and offering support. All sorts of people along the road with lollipops, oranges, water, and even coffee.

At mile 6.5 I drank 1/2 of the E-Drenaline shot.  I thought I might need it for HEART BREAK HILL!

That  is the beginning of Heart Break Hill. THAT is where the support for runners and walkers knows no bounds.  The roadside is lined with supporters and signs for their runners. It’s fantastic.

Even the dogs are out for Whitesboro Runners!

The hill is in two phases. You make it up the first “heart breaker” then there is a plateau, then the second incline.  I was really surprised at how easily I managed the hills. It was a breeze.

Now I’m approaching Utica College where the walkers are lined up in masses.  I met “Calli” the registered Llama…

Such a pretty little girl.  I didn’t ask to pet her because I didn’t know if 1. she would spit at me like camels do (not that a camel has ever spit at me, but I don’t want to take the chance) and 2. I heard, long ago, that llamas prefer men.  I don’t know…just what I heard?????

I stopped and asked a Fireman on top of his Fire truck to take an “aerial” view photo of the walkers

Wow! That’s a lot of walkers! BUT…glad I was done..

As I ran under the sign, I heard the guys back there under that blue tent say “and here is Joanne, congratulations Joanne”.  Was that me?!  They had the list of bib numbers and if you came through without being surrounded by a crowd, they were able to call out your name.  That was pretty cool!

I grabbed a bottle of water and jogged one more mile to my Jeep.  I just wanted a hot bath and a BIG breakfast.

It was a good run.  It wasn’t difficult.  I think I paced myself just right. I didn’t get cold once the run began, and I didn’t get hot. My temperature was good except for the initial cold thumbs.  My sensitive hamstring “spoke” to me while running one of the down hills but quickly “shut up”.   The course kind of rolls. No extremes until you get to Heart Break Hill.

I think more people knew each other in the ten mile crowd. Maybe that happens as you get into higher mileage because the runners are “seasoned” and probably know each other from over the years or group runs, etc.  I liked it. I most enjoyed chatting with friends along the way.  Unfortunately, I didn’t see my friend Jim. M. and his group from the Valley, but I’m sure I’ll catch them for the next event.

GREAT JOB RUNNERS AND WALKERS!