The Marlborough Downs Challenge

This weekend I ran the Marlborough Downs Challenge. I'd made it clear I wanted to run it in under six hours, which would have been a significant improvement in pace for me. For anyone wanting to avoid the rest of this post and just find out how I did I managed 6 hours 40 minutes, had a bit of a nightmare, but pulled through. If you want to hear more then read on:

Simon & I had travelled up the night before and camped just outside Marlborough, reasoning that it was just a bit too far to get up there on the morning of the race. The forecast earlier in the week had shown heavy rain; thankfully by the weekend this had been downgraded to strong winds and heavy showers. Small mercies, eh?  Well it certainly rained on Friday night, kept me awake in fact, but soon enough it was morning and the sky was clearing as we ate breakfast and wandered across town. 

The race registration was in the leisure centre and the start was to be in the grounds of Marlborough college, a private school of some repute don't you know, situated just across the road. While hanging around at registration I was surprised by a tap on the shoulder from Martin, another short-listed runner from the Trail Team weekend up in the Lakes. Turns out this was his local patch. Thinking I could follow him round I asked what time he was aiming for - "about 4:15" - err ... okaay ... well good luck with that! Having picked up our numbers we headed over to the start line. 

Entering the grounds of the college, about to get started

Before long we were off. After a steep start and a good few bottle necks we were in the open with room to move as we headed over farmland in beautiful warm sunshine. Trying to keep a reasonable pace I nipped past a few people, feeling good and enjoying being on the go. Soon we passed the first checkpoint and entered a beautiful wood filled with Bluebells. Not long after that we got our first taste of just how muddy our day was likely to be. The muddy conditions combined with a good long hill slowed us all down; the heavy clay sucked at my ankles and soon drained the energy from my legs. 

A sunny start

Running through the bluebell woods

So it was good to break free of the mud and get up on the downs. The views were incredible but so was the wind which buffeted and generally caused a nuisance for the next few miles. Soon we joined the Wansdyke, a series of medieval defensive earthworks that run for many miles and make an indelible impression on the land. The ground was undulating but thankfully dry and firm underfoot. 

View from the downs

A sky indicative of things to come

On the Wansdyke Way

Eventually we dropped down through fields and farm tracks towards the canal that would take us into Devizes. It was about now that I realised things were not going quite to plan. I'd been exchanging places for a some miles with a few runners, including one woman who had completed the course six times and seemed to be aiming for a similar time to me. This was great as I could forget about navigation for a bit and just settle into a rhythm; unfortunately as we reached the canal I found I was struggling to hold onto the pace.  Reluctantly I dropped back. As the canal wore on I felt more and more tired; this was meant to be a nice easy section of unchallenging, flat terrain but my legs just felt weak, like jelly. I was prepared to feel crap sooner or later but I wasn't even half way round - this was a real worry. Of course the worse I felt the more negative thoughts appeared in my head and, by the time I left the canal, I felt awful.

The canal

At this point Simon came past. To be honest I was surprised he'd caught me up so quickly and this only added to the downer I was in. Simon hung about for a bit as I told him how I was feeling but it was obvious I wasn't going to keep up with him and soon he was off ahead. Not long after this was one of the biggest climbs of the race. Now normally I march up hills without too much trouble but I could barely walk up this one.  I just couldn't work out what was wrong. Getting to the top of the hill my calfs promptly cramped up and this led me to think about salt intake. I necked a tablet and waddled on. Shortly I was caught by another runner - Nigel it turned out, from Bolton - suffering similar trouble to me. We chatted and matched each other's pace and this helped me take my mind off the problems I was having. Before long I started to perk up a bit and, no longer trying to keep to a particular pace, I found myself enjoying the day again. 

Heading up Cherhill in worsening weather

The weather soon took a turn for the worse. Heavy rain came from nowhere; it looked set in, but the wind was strong enough that within minutes the shower had passed and the sun was breaking through again. This pattern of sun and showers reigned throughout the rest of the day, with the rain generally returning just after I decided to take my waterproof off! We were soon joined by a few more runners (approaching from the rear!) and between us managed some of the more difficult route finding decisions of the day, enduring more muddy trails before finding ourselves at the top of Cherhill overlooking the chalk white horse. 

Climbing up Cherhill. Nigel, from Bolton, on the left

The white horse as the rain returned

At this point I was feeling a little better and soon dragged myself to the front of our little group to take my turn to lead us on. After a couple of miles we hit the A4, the route following the road for a mile or so. Someone else took the lead and we were moving well but I quickly realised I was being dragged into someone else's race at a pace I couldn't sustain. I deliberately stepped aside and let those faster runners go on, lest I find myself in trouble again. At the rear of the group I met my mate from Bolton again and we soldiered on, soon arriving at Avebury.

Stones at Avebury

From here a long gradual hill led up to the Ridgeway and before long to the final checkpoint. The last three miles wound down through a race course and would have been easy going but for the preceding thirty. Still it was all in the bag and I was happy enough. At last the finish line came and we were rewarded with a lovely mug from a local pottery - better than a T shirt I reckon! We were also entitled to a hot meal a drink and a shower. Its a shame we had to run so far to make mundane things like a hot shower seem so good. Refreshed, and only smarting slightly at Simon beating me by half an hour we headed back to the camp site via a brief but enlightening tour of the pubs of Marlborough.

My prize!

On reflection this was a great day. Things had not gone as expected but the course was challenging and led us through some beautiful countryside. The navigation had been easy enough - better than expected in fact. I had spent some time in good company, shared stories and suffered together with people I met along the way. And I had been reminded of another lesson for running ultras; that you will feel bad but if you keep pushing on then sooner or later it will pass. 

Thanks to the organisers, the marshals and all those other souls who helped to make this a great day out. Maybe I'll see you next year for another shot at that sub 6 hour finish!

5 Lessons from the Trail Team weekend (and how to use them)

This weekend is my first race since I attended the Trail Team 2014 weekend in the Lake district. I've been thinking a lot about everything I learned there. I've also been getting very excited about running the Marlborough Downs Challenge this weekend. I want to try and push myself to set a half decent time, rather than just get around and will be taking some key lessons from the trail camp with me on Saturday. So in no particular order, here we go:

1. Navigation is a skill. If you need to navigate, ensure you can. Hearing Berghaus athlete Helene Whitaker talk about how she was crap at navigating so learnt the course in full before the Dragon's Back reminded me of something I'd read when I registered for the Marlborough Downs challenge. Oh yes, its a self navigation route, map and compass advisable to compliment the SEVEN PAGES of route notes. Oh dear. One hasty reminder on how to orient a map and take a bearing later, followed by an hour or so drawing the route onto the map and I'm ready to go. Hopefully I won't be posting on Runner's World how I got lost as many evidently have done on previous years (we'll see).

2. Manage negative thoughts. Steve Birkenshaw, also sponsored by Berghaus, gave us some good tips on how to get through those low points. Concentrating on the next check point, next mile, next hill, next step; counting to a hundred; talking to others were some of the options. It all sounds good, but the one that scares me the most is the one I aim to put into practice on Saturday: Shorten the pain. In the last few miles I'm going to try and run faster and cut short the suffering by getting home quicker. Big words, but its got to be worth a try.

3. Maximise nutrition. Torq energy gels are formulated to allow ingestion of 30% more carbs than taking glucose alone. I intend to make the most of this toward the end of the race. I can't stomach too many gels and will still be taking on flapjacks and other real food at the start of the race but I will slowly switch over to more gels at the end. If I can, the last two hours I'm going to try and get three gels an hour down my neck and have a couple of the Guarana ones ready for when I need a boost.

4. Stretch it out on the downhills. This was a bit of a personal epiphany really. A first time mountain runner and more used to the short sharp ups and downs of the coast path it was incredible to run downhill for up to two miles over technical terrain. I like downhill running and like to think I'm reasonably good at it (compared to my uphill "running"). But until this weekend I hadn't really got it. I found myself stretching my legs out for the first time and really flying downhill. I just seemed to get into a stride where I was moving efficiently and it felt great.

5. Thirty three miles is not that far (except, of course, it is). Spending the weekend in the company of some really very accomplished and talented runners left me motivated and brimming with confidence. Many people there had run fifty or a hundred miles many times (some further still). The confidence is still there but what I really want to take into this weekend is a reminder to myself that thirty three miles is, for me at least, still a very long way. Sure I know I can do the distance but I mustn't underestimate the challenge. Its not a doddle and it isn't in the bag, especially as I've set myself a goal to get round in a certain time.

And what time am I aiming for I hear you cry? Well if I had any sense I keep it a secret but where is the fun in that? I want to finish in under 6 hours. Not a winning time for by any means (last year's winner came in at 4:13!) but a step up, pace wise. If the navigation doesn't let me down I think I can do it.

So check back in a few days to see how it all went.

Gel wars

Just after Christmas I noticed that the Ultra Marathon store were offering box discounts on pick-n-mix orders of any combination of make and flavour of gels. So I bought some of everything to see what works best.

I should point out at the start that the results of this review are one man's opinion having carried out a non-exhaustive test on a sample size of one. I'm also generally a lover of "real food" which for me is usually flapjacks & potatoes, but I will almost always alternate with gels to avoid getting too full up.

Not wanting to give too much away but I should also mention that the resultant winner may, in light of a recent sponsored trail camp in the Lakes, seem a little disingenuous but the results were in some time ago, I've just been lazy about writing it up.

I've rated everything on taste, consistency and nutritional value. However, to be fair I don't have any opinion on which products give the best results energy-wise; they all provide a similar amount of calories and its impossible to discount the many and various variables at play during a long run that affect how I'm feeling, making an objective decision on the effectiveness of a particular gel pretty much impossible. Something which makes you want to throw up though will definitely affect performance and is easier to quantify.

A word on energy source; it is recognised that high GI sugars such as Glucose and Maltodextrin offer the most rapid absorption rates when exercising, but recent evidence suggests that Fructose, which has a low GI is absorbed slowly and does not conflict with the absorption of Glucose or Matlodextrin. This means more energy can be digested where both types of sugar are ingested.

Products reviewed:

Accel Gel

"The Top Performing Energy Gel Just Got Better! Designed and scientifically-proven to deliver rapid energy to muscles. How? Patented 4:1 ratio of carbs to protein.  Accel Gel gives you more bang 13% more vs. leading carbohydrate only gel, and 50% better muscle recovery so you can get back to your next adventure."

Calories: 100

Energy source: Fructose, Glucose and Maltodextrin; 4:1 carbs to protein - this is one of two gels in the test that contained protein. I couldn't "feel" any difference over 20 miles...maybe on a longer run I would have? Some flavours are caffeinated (20-40 mg) but those I tried were not.

Consistency: medium. Liquid but not too runny. About right.

Taste: I tried Key Lime and Orange. Accel gel appear to have attempted to avoid the sickly sweet issue that many gels have by erring on the side of bitter. Key Lime was OK, Citrus Orange was rank.

Gu

"GU Energy Gel provides athletes with a dose of 100 calories to deliver high-quality, easily-digested and long-lasting energy for athletes in every sport and at all levels. Everything inside each packet of GU is engineered to do one simple thing: provide your body with the essential nutrition it needs to keep going for miles and miles and hours and hours. It goes down easy, and it goes to work fast so you don't have to slow down."

Calories: 100

Energy source: Maltodextrin/Fructose (7-80%/30-/20% ratios flavour dependant) Caffeinated (20mg)

Consistency: medium. Liquid but not too runny. About right.

Taste: Tried Lemon, Tri berry, Jet blackcurrent and Salted caramel. Slightly sickly, getting worse over time. Caramel is pretty nice but even this gets hard to swallow after a while

Gu Roctane

"We added more of everything that makes GU Energy Gel the category leader and added a few more things for ultra distance and high intensity efforts resulting in the most efficient, high performance gel you can use in training and racing."

Calories: 100

Energy source: Glucose/Fructose plus lots of branch chain amino acids (basic proteins) and extra electrolytes. Caffeinated (35mg)

Consistency: medium. Liquid but not too runny. About right.

Taste: Tried strawverry/kiwi and Cherry/lime. Not bad, tart enough to be palatable.

Torq

"TORQ energy gels are formulated to a 2:1 Maltodextrin:Fructose blend for optimal carbohydrate release. We only use natural flavours, no colours or artificial sweeteners."

Calories: 115

Energy source: Maltodextrin/fructose 2:1. Two flavours (banoffee and forest fruits contain natural Guarana Caffeine - 89 mg. 

Consistency:  medium. Liquid but not too runny. About right.

Taste: Oh my! Tried Rhubarb & Custard, Rasberry ripple, Black cherry yoghurt, Strawberry yoghurt and Apple crumble. They taste A-MAZ-ING. The only gels you will look forward to eating?

Clif

"CLIF SHOT® Energy Gel provides quick energy to athletes while racing and training. With our new formula and flavours getting energised between breaths has never been easier."

Calories: 96

Energy source: Maltodextrin (although also listed dried cane syrup?)

Consistency: Thick. Like chewy.

Taste: Tried Razz and Lemon. Bit sickly.

High 5

"EnergyGel is smooth with a light consistency and a dash of real juice for a great taste. It’s not thick or overly sweet. Easy to open and swallow, each sachet contains 23g of carbohydrate. EnergyGel is award-winning and proven in many of the World’s toughest competitions."

Calories: 92

Energy source: Maltodextrin/Glucose

Consistency: Runny.

Taste: Mild, contains fruit juice and quite palatable. Tried Citrus blast and summer fruits

High 5 Iso Gel

"IsoGel has a consistency more like a sports drink than a gel. It is smooth and has a dash of real juice for a great taste. It’s not thick or overly sweet. Easy to open and swallow, each sachet contains 23g of carbohydrate. IsoGel is award-winning and proven in many of the World’s toughest competitions."

Calories: 92

Energy source: Maltodextrin/Glucose. There is a "Plus" option that contains 23mg caffeine.

Consistency: Watery. Gets everywhere.

Taste: Tried Berry. Very mild flavour.

Conclusion

As I stated above I couldn't really make a call in terms of energy delivery. I didn't find any of the special extras such as amino acids made any real difference and all gels contain roughly the same amount of calories.

Consistency wise Clif are too thick, almost chewy and the High 5 offerings, which taste ok are too runny which means its difficult to get the products into your mouth without spilling it everywhere. This was especially true of the Iso Gels which were so runny they ended up all over my race vest.

 For me, taste is everything. Gels as a rule tend to be hard to swallow, especially after many hours of running and so anything that remains and attractive proposition down the line is a winner in my book. For that reason Torq wins, hands down. I actually look forward to eating them! Given they also deliver a dual energy type and have two flavours boasting the highest level caffeine of all the products surveyed they really tick every box. Since buying this selection I've moved over exclusively to Torq products. 

The Trail Running Team Weekend

Well what a weekend I have had. This weekend was, of course the Lake district selection weekend for The Trail Running Team. I'm still digesting everything that I experienced and will no doubt have more to say on quite a few subjects over the coming weeks. Right now I'm buzzing with excitement; I don't think I've ever felt quite so motivated before!

I'd travelled up from Cornwall with Wanda Summers and her friend Steve and we had a mammoth ten hour journey. We arrived to find our hosts Simon and Julie had saved us some food though which was kind of them and soon we were fed and watered, had introduced ourselves to a few of the others and made and arrangement to be up at 7 for a pre-breakfast run.

Now its not often I find myself crawling into bed with a Welshman but confusion over the allocation of beds and my arrival in the room after lights out brought this event close to a reality! Some hasty negotiations with the Youth Hostel staff soon led to me being found a bed of my own though and all was well with the world!

In the morning we were surprised to find the rain had stopped and a few of us headed out the door for a quick run. This was limited by the need to return for breakfast but got us out in the open and enjoying the scenic hills. The rain returned on the way back but did nothing to quell the thrill of a fast couple of miles down to the hostel.

After breakfast - full English of course - the rest of the group started to arrive and before long we were getting to know each other before heading upstairs for a quick photo and the start of the day proper.

Following a welcome from Simon we were introduced to the Berghaus trail running product line. 

To support the needs of their sponsored athletes Philippe & Anna Gatta in their attempt to run the Great Himalaya Trail Berghaus created a range of super light high performance clothing.  The highlight was the Hyper Smock, the worlds lightest fully water proof jacket, weighing in at only 84 grams. Also on show was the Vapour claw shoe; a fairly lightweight model with an aggressive sole clearly designed with UK trails in mind, plus a very nice looking mid layer - the Hypertherm Jacket, which, through clever use of different materials, could be reversed to give more or less insulation as required.

Hyper smock

Hyper Therm Jacket

Vapour Claw

mmmmm...Apple Crumble!

Next up we were treated to a very informative talk from Torq fitness regarding nutrition and the Torq fueling system. Torq are making use of the latest research and have created a range of products - gels, drinks and bars - that each make use of a 2:1 mix of Maltodextrin and Fructose to aid in uptake.

We got to taste the product range while at lunch. The fact they have managed to pull off palatable flavours such as Rhubarb & Custard, Apple Crumble and Blackcurrant Yoghurt is nothing short of miraculous.

After lunch came the guest speakers:

Steve Birkinshaw was first up. With a list of achievements as long as his arm, not least the 2012 victory at the Dragon's back were were treated to a mixture of advice on training, dealing with negative thoughts and an overview of his preparations for his next challenge - an attempt on the record for the fastest navigation of every one of 214 Wainwrights. 

Next Came Helene Whitaker. Helene won the Dragon's back outright in 1992 and came 4th twenty years later in 2012. Her honest appraisal of her own strengths and weaknesses and determination to do what was necessary to overcome them left an impression; not a strong navigator (hilarious to hear her tell of once taking a bearing on a sheep!) she made sure she had run the entire Dragon's back course beforehand to ensure she knew where she was going.

In both talks what struck me was, as with many other people here this weekend, that these two ordinary people were achieving extraordinary feats through hard work and determination. Occasionally though the competitive killer instinct could be seen shining through as they spoke of the races they had been involved in.

Later on we were privileged to watch the film of the Dragon's back race with Steve in attendance. Its a brilliant film, made more so by the company in the room at the time and I'd advise anyone with an interest in trail running to seek it out.

Before that though we headed out for the second run of the day. Essentially following the same path as before but with a little more time on our hands we climbed up to Red Tarn below the final slopes of Helvellyn and I arrived just in time to see Steve and a number of others strip off and dive into the freezing waters! No thanks!

 

The next morning we had another chance to go running. There were three groups - Steve leading the way with a fast group, Helene's husband and another guide whose name, to my shame, I have forgotten (Joanne?) took a middle pace group while Helene herself led a fast hike.

We were together up to the Tarn and then split into our respective groups.  To my surprise, rather than following the obvious path up to Swirral edge we were directed up a ridiculously steep grassy hill to reach the summit of Catsye Cam. This is probably bread and butter for the fell runners among our group but it was hard going for me. Worth it though as the views were incredible at the top and we had a great downhill onto Swirral edge, before a scramble up the edge itself. Every now and then I remember how much I miss climbing and how I must make the effort to get out more and this was one of those times. Topping out onto the summit of Helvellyn we proceeded then onto a series of rounded tops - some of the "Dodds", a group of grassy rolling fells - before finally dropping down via a stream crossing to return to the Hostel.

 

Having run almost exclusively on the coast paths this day was a massive eye opener for me; I could have just carried on all day exploring this runner's paradise!

So that was it, I'd done some cool runs, met some amazing people and learnt an awful lot. I still have a lot to learn but my confidence is up and I'm motivated as hell to get out and run long. Thank you everyone, its been an awesome weekend and one I won't ever forget!

Trail report - the Cotswold way (no, not all of it!)

Misty morning on the Cotswold way

This weekend the family gathered in Gloucestershire for cousin Ol's marriage to Becky.  As luck would have it, we were staying adjacent to the Cotswold way; perfect for a weekend long run.

The Cotswold way is a 102 mile trail running from Chipping Camden to Bath along the Cotswold escarpment. Its known to be a bit hilly.

We were staying in the village of North Nibley. Before we left I had a look on Google and mapped out a rough idea of how far I could get.  My only window of opportunity would be to run early the morning after the wedding; however, I was under strict instructions to be back in time for a family lunch so things would be tight. The morning of the wedding I took the dogs for a walk and had a quick reccy of my first couple of miles.  This was handy as I accosted a couple of walkers heading from the direction I would be going.  They assured me the trail was very well signposted and easy to follow.  I also found an OS map in the house should my usual sense of direction impose itself and send me off course.

The wedding went well and Saturday came all too quickly - five hours sleep and a mild hangover weren't exactly the preparations I had intended for my long run but needs must so off I went.

After a massive hill up to the village I gained the Cotswold way, following a path, a short stretch of road and then climbing through fields until eventually breaking out onto high ground adjacent to a golf course.  The next few miles wound around the edge of a plateau, dropping into woods occasionally and repeatedly re-joining the golf course.  Eventually a long steep hill took me into the pretty market town of Dursley. Thankfully the route through town was well marked and soon I was back on track and heading up hill again.  This time a steep climb took me onto a ridge line with some fantastic views in both directions and an undulating path that was a joy to run along.

Looking back along the ridge towards Dursley

An obvious valley lay ahead and one of the steepest descents on the route through farmland and a short stretch on the road before climbing - this time long and steady - up to Coaley Peak and more stunning vistas.

From here the route contoured along the edge of the escarpment, through rolling farmland and cool, peaceful woodland covered in bluebells and wild garlic, for several miles.

Eventually, with a few more ups and downs, I arrived in Kings Stanley.  Garmin told me I had travelled a little over 13 miles so now was the time to turn around.

All in all a great day out.  In contrast to the usual coast path runs the hills were higher and longer but mostly more of a steady gradient and the paths were wide flat and excellent quality so I made reasonable time.  There are not enough superlatives in the English language to describe the beauty of this part of the UK; if you have the chance to run, walk or just visit a little part of the Cotswold way then grab it - you won't be disappointed.

One of the many well positioned signposts 

On the food front I had no wraps available so made a hummus sandwich - big mistake as I couldn't stomach it.  Other than my usual breakfast (muesli, toast with peanut butter and jam, banana, lots of tea) I had just three gels and a litre of Clif energy drink.  Oh, and an ice cream on the way back through Dursley!  This was more than adequate; I'm starting to get a feel for what kind of energy requirements I have for these sort of adventures and it seems I can get by on a fairly limited diet.

There's an ultra that runs the entire distance from Chipping Camden to Bath - The Cotswold Way Centuries. That seems impossible but on the other hand, who knows...

Here's my GPS data for the run:

Clif shots and other stuff

I've been using High-5 energy gels for the last few months.  They are palatable - far better than some other brands - but a little sickly.  At the last Endurance Life event I took part in though I was handed a complimentary Razz-flavour (that would be Raspberry then?) Clif gel and blimey it tasted good.  Remember Hubba Bubba?  Its a bit like that.  I could actually eat this stuff out of choice, like without actually going running (but I don't, honest).

I've eaten Clif bars when climbing for a while now.  Having previously been a disciple of Ma Baker and her un-feasibly large flapjacks I made the jump after finding out just how hard these are to eat in hot weather.  Clif bars go down a treat when I'm climbing, whatever the weather.  Clif as a company seem to be right up there on a Patagonia-style tip as far as ethical business practices go and a lot of what they put into their food is natural and organic which is a plus.

So I bought a box of gels from Amazon and this week took a few on a long run to make sure they sit OK after a few hours. They do a variety of flavours and differing levels of Caffeine.  I don't like to have any Caffeine before or during any run over about 6 miles as I found out, eventually, that it was a contributing factor in my developing heart burn while running.  With that in mind I went with the Caffeine free ones.

I also bought a tub of the Clif Shot Electrolyte powder. I normally run with just water but for an Ultra I'm thinking this might not cut it.  Again, I've had digestive issues with energy drinks so this weekend was a test run for this as well.  Another advantage is that Endurance Life tend to have this stuff on hand at the aid stations so if I could stomach it then I get to use the freebie drinks instead of my own during the Classic Quarter!

I followed the instructions for the drinks mix (I went with Lemonade flavour) and was a bit worried after a few sips it was too strong.  Over the course of the run though I found it was fine, quite tangy really and it settled well on my stomach so that was good.

The gels were as tasty as I remember so pleased with these.  I ate three over the course of the day and, again, felt no ill effects.  The consistency is a little thicker than I am used to and I found I was dragging the goo out of the packet with my teeth rather than squirting it into my mouth but this was not a problem, in fact it might be an advantage since I could take little bits at a time without worrying about the rest squirting everywhere as I ran. Also worth mentioning is the clever little handle which stops you inadvertently dropping the top once you rip it off. Clever stuff.

For the rest of my food intake I went with Hummus wraps again which I am very pleased with. I was intending to try making Onigiri again this weekend but to be honest its a bit of a fiddle and since I was trialling two other products I didn't want to vary too much.

So I reckon I'm ready in terms of food.  I'll be making some homemade flapjacks as per the recipe in my previous post (here), taking a couple of hummus wraps, half a dozen Clif gels and Clif Electrolyte drink.  And of course, there will always be ice cream!

Race day nutrition

We ran 20 miles along the coast from Porthtowan to the far end of Penhale Sands and back this weekend and I took the opportunity to try out some ideas food-wise ready for Classic Quarter.

I have a few problems with eating on the run; I have a tendency to get heart burn from certain foods during my longer runs. I've found that I have to avoid caffeine before and during runs and anything spicy or acidic also causes me issues.

For the marathon I ran with 6 gels and water and this gave me all the fuel I needed but I really find half a dozen tubes of goo is about my limit as it starts to make me a bit nauseous.

So this weekend I made some flapjacks and some hummus wraps.

For the flapjacks I used the recipe off the Scots Porridge Oats packet with a few additions, namely chopped apricots & some dates plus pumpkin and sunflower seeds.  The recipe is here.  I over cooked them a little (5 minutes less than the recipe was still a few minutes too much it seems) - anything that takes too much effort to chew is a problem on a long run - but they tasted good and went down ok.

the hummus wraps were mentioned in Scott Jurek's book Eat and Run: My Unlikely Journey to Ultramarathon Greatness and they were perfect - easy to eat, not too messy, and easy to digest.  Best of all they were savoury which is a welcome alternative.

Next week, I want to try some Nori (sushi rice wrapped in seaweed).  I tried this before but cooked the rice wrong and tried to wrap them up while the rice was still warm and they all fell apart so I'm yet to be convinced but this is another Scott Jurek tip so I will persevere.

Another idea I have is to make the most of the ice cream facilities on route.  I reckon ice cream plus a cone has to be a pretty good energy source and its readily available along the coast in Cornwall, plus the psychological benefits of a massive ice cream cannot be ignored!  For purely scientific purposes I tested out a Moo-Maid Passion fruit sorbet on arrival back at Porthtowan and the results were very promising!

Carb loading adventures

This weekend I have mostly been eating carbs.

I've tried to load up on carbs for two to three days leading up to long races previously and it definitely works.  Having read this excellent article from Run your BQ though, I suspected I wasn't eating quite enough. 

Essentially, in order to maximise glycogen stores, you should aim to eat 7-10 grams of carbohydrate per kilogram of bodyweight each day.  For me that is something between 540 and 780 grams of carbs; a massive amount of food!

Generally speaking, having carte blanche to eat everything in sight for a few days with no sense of remorse is about as good as it gets. Its a dirty job, but someone's got to do it.

It can be a bloody pain in the arse though trying to sum up everything you are eating and its tempting to refuse to eat anything that doesn't have a clearly printed label on it somewhere. Thankfully our friend the internet helps fill in the blanks and I now know that an apple contains about 22 grams of carbohydrate whereas an egg has less than 1 (try carb-counter.net as your starter for 10).

Clearly man cannot live on apples alone since I'd need to eat 20 a day to hit my goal!

Bread, pasta, rice & potatoes is mainly where its at. However even pasta is only 75% carbohydrate so unless you want to eat the best part of a kilogram of spagetti then some good old dirty sweet food, and drink, is going to be required.  In fact drink is very important; its almost impossible to consume this many carbs without drinking a fair bit of it.  

Here comes another lesson learned: the free Cadbury's hot chocolate at work is much harder to consume in quantity than Sprite.  In fact the hot chocolate made me feel pretty sick, but I drank a litre of sprite over the course of the day and hardly noticed myself doing it.  A litre of sprite contains 100 grams of sugar! DON'T FEED THIS SHIT TO YOUR KIDS.  I seriously think these kind of drinks might be worse than crack.  

Anyway here's what yesterday's menu consisted of. All in all this adds up to a whopping 541 grams:
                                                         

Beetroot juice 250ml	22
Large bowl Muesli	90
Toast and honey – 2 slices	25
2 apples	44
1 banana	24
2 satsumas	18
1 litre sprite	100
scambled eggs and 2 slices toast	25
boost	34
ma bakers banana flapjack	54
1/2 baked potato with cheese and butter	15
Vegetables (toms, brocoli, cabbage)	15
Spinach & Ricotta stuffed pasta with pesto	52
cadbury mini roll	15
1 glass red wine	8