Congrats on the healthy mileage build-up! Great news about the ferritin results! Yay for setting marathon logistics! (Cue that "twas the night before Christmas" feeling... :)
Re: (Past) you taking just the gels handed out on the course. I see your chaos and raise you course-fluids only. Not a strategy I recommend to others, but it works for me.
I think you identify key variables in the long-run nutrition question: What do you need? What can you ingest (while moving at speed)? What level of control do you want over in-race fueling? People sometimes overlook that the stomach can be trained to some extent. I look forward to hearing how this embedded narrative ("The prodi-gel zone"?) unfolds!
I (think I) remember reading general advice to consume gels shortly before hydration; and to increase the fluid-to-gel (more generally, water-to-carbohydrate) ratio the later you get in a run, because the stomach tends to dehydrate a bit over the course of a long run. However, I can't track down my source, so please fact-check for quality assurance.
Speaking of quality assurance, your quality-assurance team look thorough (and cute!).
In other photo news, what vision, what wisdom, to observe, in mid-stride, "In a few seconds I am going to choke on this gel, so I had better memorialize this moment now, while I'm not choking." Love your poise and humor :)
Re: Stigmas. No. As Claire taught us to say, we don't believe in stigmas here.
Re: "Failed" workouts. I love your framing: a chance to practice adjusting and sustaining comfortably hard efforts. Constructive, beautifully put, and a useful skill to practice during training. In-race adjustments are a marathon all-but-guarantee. The fun part is, the adjustments can go in either direction!
Re: Named Strava run. Deena has a wonderful story in her autobiography where she says something like that. Which is to say, the best ask that question. After which, they forge ahead and find out the answer.
Inspiration is an understatement! Another wonderful name for shoes: endorphin speed. I have never tried any of those gels. They do not sound tasty. How often can you eat one if you need energy? Thank you for sharing all this info.
Pacing is roughly every 40-60 minutes, and you don't need to eat one if you're not going that long. The other day I took one at :20, 1:00, and 1:40, just so I could test 3, but I probably didn't need the third.
You’re a constant inspiration :). Thank you for sharing. I’m kicking around the idea of a 1/2 this fall after reading about your experience. Also, thx for notes about the struggle. when you’re such a pro and have struggle runs, it make me as a casual runner feel like it’s not just me :)
I tried gels during my 1/2 training a few years ago and didn’t like any of them. Cubes were okay, but…running+ chewing = blah. I’m anxious to see your conclusions.
Glad it's landing. Also, re: struggle: I've heard that 1/3 of your runs should feel great, 1/3 should feel ok, and 1/3 should feel bad, and I've held onto that.
I like how the cubes taste, but I think I failed Chewing 101 in my childhood and I literally feel like I am risking my life every time I try to eat them while in motion. But they're definitely my preference if you can stop and eat... particularly the salted margarita flavored ones.
Congrats on the healthy mileage build-up! Great news about the ferritin results! Yay for setting marathon logistics! (Cue that "twas the night before Christmas" feeling... :)
Re: (Past) you taking just the gels handed out on the course. I see your chaos and raise you course-fluids only. Not a strategy I recommend to others, but it works for me.
I think you identify key variables in the long-run nutrition question: What do you need? What can you ingest (while moving at speed)? What level of control do you want over in-race fueling? People sometimes overlook that the stomach can be trained to some extent. I look forward to hearing how this embedded narrative ("The prodi-gel zone"?) unfolds!
I (think I) remember reading general advice to consume gels shortly before hydration; and to increase the fluid-to-gel (more generally, water-to-carbohydrate) ratio the later you get in a run, because the stomach tends to dehydrate a bit over the course of a long run. However, I can't track down my source, so please fact-check for quality assurance.
Speaking of quality assurance, your quality-assurance team look thorough (and cute!).
In other photo news, what vision, what wisdom, to observe, in mid-stride, "In a few seconds I am going to choke on this gel, so I had better memorialize this moment now, while I'm not choking." Love your poise and humor :)
Re: Stigmas. No. As Claire taught us to say, we don't believe in stigmas here.
Re: "Failed" workouts. I love your framing: a chance to practice adjusting and sustaining comfortably hard efforts. Constructive, beautifully put, and a useful skill to practice during training. In-race adjustments are a marathon all-but-guarantee. The fun part is, the adjustments can go in either direction!
Re: Named Strava run. Deena has a wonderful story in her autobiography where she says something like that. Which is to say, the best ask that question. After which, they forge ahead and find out the answer.
Forge ahead!
Re: course only fluids — theoretically I like it, but so many courses have moved to electrolytes only so I'd be missing out on some carbs.
Re: gels before water — you're right. I think I am going to make a temporary tattoo with all the water station mile markers.
Re: QA team — they are the best! Very lucky to have them on my team. 🐶🐱
Re: Deena — just consistently the best, am I right?
As always, appreciate the thoughts!
Inspiration is an understatement! Another wonderful name for shoes: endorphin speed. I have never tried any of those gels. They do not sound tasty. How often can you eat one if you need energy? Thank you for sharing all this info.
Pacing is roughly every 40-60 minutes, and you don't need to eat one if you're not going that long. The other day I took one at :20, 1:00, and 1:40, just so I could test 3, but I probably didn't need the third.
You’re a constant inspiration :). Thank you for sharing. I’m kicking around the idea of a 1/2 this fall after reading about your experience. Also, thx for notes about the struggle. when you’re such a pro and have struggle runs, it make me as a casual runner feel like it’s not just me :)
I tried gels during my 1/2 training a few years ago and didn’t like any of them. Cubes were okay, but…running+ chewing = blah. I’m anxious to see your conclusions.
Glad it's landing. Also, re: struggle: I've heard that 1/3 of your runs should feel great, 1/3 should feel ok, and 1/3 should feel bad, and I've held onto that.
I like how the cubes taste, but I think I failed Chewing 101 in my childhood and I literally feel like I am risking my life every time I try to eat them while in motion. But they're definitely my preference if you can stop and eat... particularly the salted margarita flavored ones.