Running, I remember it well!
Jun26201110:06 a.m.
First of all apologies, life has taken over a bit for the past 10 days, I will catch up as the next few days progress with comments and blog posts.
I mark exams for an Accountancy body, so twice a year I get a nice task of marking 350 exams (you can do 600, but with a young family and too many other commitments, I limit myself to 350 - the money is superb and helps [to pay for all kinds of things!), and the merking started a week last Friday. You have about 4 weeks to do them all, but I am a bit of a freak, and just blitz them, and get them done! So this week the routine has been to get up at 4.30, do about 2 and a half hours marking, go to work, come home, do about 4 hours marking, go to bed, get up and repeat.
Add in that I am an accountant by trade, and our company has had the external auditors in, which is my busiest week outside of year end, and it has been a bit mental, and towards the end of the week I have flagged big style.
Hence no runs since a week last Thursday, until this morning.
The plan has 15 miles down as an LSR for this week just ending, but I had a nice surprise last night when studying my plan, in that next week is a step back week, which I didn't know.
It has been building quite quickly, and I was worried that 10 days out would prevent me from catching up. I think my mindset was along the lines of knowing you could quite easily be ill for a week, so this was my 'ill week'. And next weeks step back week has an LSR of "10k race or Half Marathon". Well, in todays temperatures, and after a long break, it was not likely to be a HM, so I decided to try and do a 10k race pace run. It didn't happen, even at 8am I very quickly wilted, but I did do 10k in around 56 minutes, which given the weather, I am not too fussed about, it was just good to be back running.
So I will now endeavour to carry out the past 7 days training during the next 7 days, and have the past week as a severe step back week, and next week as the tough one I have just missed!!
Now, advice please! Last year at London I trained with the Lucozade Orange gels, as that is what they give out at London. Now at Nottingham it is bring your own, although they do give Lucozade Orange out to drink, along with water. And I am now about to reach the mileages in training where I feel I need the gels (15 miles next week, once I get above HM distance I start thinking fuel on the run). Well, I now hate those Orange gels with a passion, and just the thought of them makes me feel ill now - and I actually enjoyed them before as well!! - so what do you use, and would you recommend them?
Happy Trails......
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Comments (6)
Firefly123 'I hope you finish the marking soon, Glen. I used the SIS gels for London as I couldn't get on with the Lucozade ones at all. For Brighton, I used Clif Shot Blocks, which I quite liked. They're jelly not gel and I found them easier to eat on the run. ' added 26th Jun 2011
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kraftykat 'I use Maxim Gels as they are the ones that my local running shop stock. As they were the only ones I could get hold of locally when I trained for my first marathon I used these and have stuck with them ever since. I love them. They come in 100g sachets with a small screw top, the idea being that you use 1/3 of the sachet at a time and then screw the top back on. You may think it's a bit of a faff with the screw top but to be honest I've just got used to it and like the idea that for every 1 of these sachets you probably would be carrying 2 or 3 of any other kind. You still need to take them with water but I find them very palatable. Come in a few flavours. I also use the Maxim Energy Bar which is 55g high carb. Milk choc coated cereal bar. Quite soft and easy to chew & digest on the run. I usually just break the bar into 4 before i set off and eat a chunk enroute. I've tried various energy bars, some I've found to be quite hard to chew. I have also used the Lucozade Sport orange gels but found that this was too much the same taste with the lucozade drink. Guess it's just a matter of trying a few different kinds to see which you like best and what goes down well! Let us know which you prefer!' added 26th Jun 2011
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Jenny1961 'Well done on getting that marking done Glen! Good idea to blitz it otherwise it just drags on and on and on! Re Gels- SeanG highlighted Hammer Nutrition and I've j been trying out the gels. They don't contain fructose which can upset the stomach and so far I've found the gels ok. I sent away for a trial box of 9. ( www.hammernutrition.co.uk) and it came the next day! Good luck' added 26th Jun 2011
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Ruth22 'ah yes, I too have gone through the Orange gel cycle of love (well, tolerate), followed by hate with a passion. And I can't honestly say I've found a substitute. Let me know if you do! The week off probably isn't a bad thing, gives you a chance to rest properly & reinvigorate yourself. Glad to hear you're not stressed about it.' added 27th Jun 2011
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ClareVR 'I went out on Sunday morning too Glen, and also wilted, there was just no oxygen was there?! I always preferred the Tropical flavour or any of the SiS gels really, never got on with Lucozade, but the Zipvit ones are quite palatable too. ' added 29th Jun 2011
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Suziewee 'Wow getting up at 4am to do 2 hours marking is very dedicated, but it must be nice to get them done. You must feel like you've run a marathon already you've been so busy. As for gels I didn't get on with Lucozade, I used the SIS gels, and like Clare thought the tropical were okay. Nothing like a handful of jelly babies too!' added 2nd Jul 2011
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