look what I got!
Thanks to Lucozade Sport for being so kind! A huge box of gels, and energy bars, and the drink that’s supplied on course – so it’s vital to get used to training with it.
It’s all coming together this week – the quiz/disco I’m planning is starting to take shape, we’re having a cake sale at school, and I’m planning a fundraising girly night with wine, beauty stuff and Phoenix cards. Continue Reading »
wallpaper paste
As it would seem that I really am running a marathon in 12 weeks’ time, I think it’s time for some of the technical stuff.
One of the benefits of all this running is that instead of thinking about dieting I’m thinking about diet.
I’ve been out for a run having eaten nothing (bad idea, got wobbly legs and came home after a mile with a headache), I’ve been out after drinking too much wine the night before (even worse idea: never run with a hangover) and I’ve learned that revolting as it is, nothing sets you up for a run like a bowl of porridge. I’m ashamed to admit that despite being Scottish, I think it’s utterly disgusting. It’s like eating lumpy, congealing wallpaper paste. But I force it down, because I know it works. I’ve tried adding fruit, cinnamon, raisins, maple syrup…it’s still gruesome.
I’ve also been doing some research into gels, which are lovely energy-giving little packets of gloop which you force down enjoy during long runs. I tried the orange flavoured Lucozade Body Fuel, because Lucozade have drinks stations every 5 miles on the marathon route. It had the consistency of PVA glue and tasted of orange-flavoured medicine. Then I discovered the deliciousness that is the Powerbar Strawberry & Banana Gel, which was so yummy I could just hoover it up as a snack (bad idea, given that it’s just sugar and electrolytes).
But oh no, disaster – it’s made by That Company I Boycott* so I’m still on the lookout for a non-disgusting gel without artificial sweeteners.
Alternatively, I can take my blogging friend Karyn’s lead: she did her first marathon fuelled by granola bars. Her finishing time was 3:37, qualifying her for the Boston Marathon, which is pretty impressive. Think it’ll take more than granola bars, though, otherwise I’d be fab at running already.
Luckily Karyn has some brilliant advice on her blog on pre, post and during race nutrition. She and carpeviam are my two favourite marathon bloggers – both of them could probably run two marathons in the time it’ll take me to do one, but they’re inspiring and have encouraged me from the very beginning.
In other news, I drove 24 miles to visit a friend today, and every single mile I was imagining how I’d be feeling by that point. I think I’m getting a bit obsessed.
