On Monday I made up my Sunday long run right after work. I was pretty tired by the time 4 pm rolled around, but I forced my running clothes on, filled my water bottle with nuun, packed some GU Strawberry Chomps and headed out the door.
Despite it being the peak heat of the day, it was still absolutely gorgeous: 75 degrees, low humidity, and a slight breeze. My first mishap happened only a half mile in. I noticed that my handheld was leaking, but I couldn't figure out why, as I kept tightening the cap and it felt like it was screwed on right. Then I noticed that the nuun I had dropped in was shaking up as I was running and it had started foaming and spewing out of the top. It looked like a science project gone wrong! This was the first time I've used nuun. I know it's one tablet for every 16 oz and my bottle was 22 oz so I put a tablet and a half in. But perhaps that is still too much? Has anyone else had this issue with exploding nuun? Maybe I need to let it settle more before I get going?
Frustrated and a little sticky from the explosion, I tossed out the rest of the nuun and held onto the empty bottle until I got to the first water fountain at mile 2.5 to fill up. The next few miles went swimmingly! I was having a great time. I was keeping about a 9:15 pace, which was perfect. Not too fast, but not too slow. And I felt like I could keep it up over all 12 miles if I wanted. Right before mile 6, almost halfway through, I popped open my bag of GU Chomps and ate half. THAT is when the run became "hellish" (see post title).
I've mentioned previously that I have been suffering GI issues with gels and blocks all summer. Two Sundays ago in New York I had a successful experience with them for the first time in a long time. I thought I would be fine today as well.
Needless to say I had a really rough second half. My stomach kept acting up every few minutes and all of the bouncing around from running wasn't helping. So I walked. I kept the clock going because I was still covering distance, but I was really upset to be walking. I had at least 5 or 6 walking breaks for 1-3 minutes each, depending on the severity of my stomach ache.
Finally, I approached a crossroads in my path. In one direction, the direction I was supposed to go, was the 2 miles home. In the other direction, almost a half mile away, was a restroom that I knew would be stocked and available. I made the decision to take the latter path, with the understanding that to go there and come back would be to add almost an extra mile to my distance. Oh well. What's one mile anyway?
It turns out one mile is a lot. At least, it's a lot when you run the half mile out of your way to the restroom only to find that IT WAS CLOSED BECAUSE THE POWER WAS OUT FROM THE HURRICANE! You've got to be eff-ing kidding me. I had no choice but to turn around and head the half mile back plus the 2 miles home. I ended up walking the last two blocks back because I was feeling so ill. Running was not an option. It was the longest two blocks of my life.
Final Stats: 12.9 miles, 2:07:09, 9:51 pace
I'm really upset about this run. Everything was feeling great other than my stomach. And I realized that I am totally capable of comfortably fitting in and completing a 13 mile run on a weekday after a whole day of work. I know that going into my ultra training next winter and spring that I will be making 10+ mile weekday runs a routine, so this was great experiment. I feel totally lost, however, with regards to my future fueling during long runs. Has anyone else had this problem? I'm at the point where I'm not sure if I ever feel comfortable trying them again. Fool meonce ten times and I think I've learned my lesson!
After I'd entirely emptied the contents of my stomach post-run (over share?) I went in search for dinner. I had, after all, worked up a 1300 calorie appetite. I went for an avocado/tomato/cucumber/romaine whole wheat wrap and copious amounts of tart froyo for dessert (because froyo is exactly what this mostly lactose intolerant, stomach-sick girl needs right?).
In more positive news, my MapMyRun workout log is going to look like crazy town this week! I had 46 miles scheduled plus my 13 miler make up today, so it will say something like 59 miles, which is totally false, since last week's only says 29, but I'm secretly excited about it anyway. :)
Despite it being the peak heat of the day, it was still absolutely gorgeous: 75 degrees, low humidity, and a slight breeze. My first mishap happened only a half mile in. I noticed that my handheld was leaking, but I couldn't figure out why, as I kept tightening the cap and it felt like it was screwed on right. Then I noticed that the nuun I had dropped in was shaking up as I was running and it had started foaming and spewing out of the top. It looked like a science project gone wrong! This was the first time I've used nuun. I know it's one tablet for every 16 oz and my bottle was 22 oz so I put a tablet and a half in. But perhaps that is still too much? Has anyone else had this issue with exploding nuun? Maybe I need to let it settle more before I get going?
Frustrated and a little sticky from the explosion, I tossed out the rest of the nuun and held onto the empty bottle until I got to the first water fountain at mile 2.5 to fill up. The next few miles went swimmingly! I was having a great time. I was keeping about a 9:15 pace, which was perfect. Not too fast, but not too slow. And I felt like I could keep it up over all 12 miles if I wanted. Right before mile 6, almost halfway through, I popped open my bag of GU Chomps and ate half. THAT is when the run became "hellish" (see post title).
I've mentioned previously that I have been suffering GI issues with gels and blocks all summer. Two Sundays ago in New York I had a successful experience with them for the first time in a long time. I thought I would be fine today as well.
Needless to say I had a really rough second half. My stomach kept acting up every few minutes and all of the bouncing around from running wasn't helping. So I walked. I kept the clock going because I was still covering distance, but I was really upset to be walking. I had at least 5 or 6 walking breaks for 1-3 minutes each, depending on the severity of my stomach ache.
Finally, I approached a crossroads in my path. In one direction, the direction I was supposed to go, was the 2 miles home. In the other direction, almost a half mile away, was a restroom that I knew would be stocked and available. I made the decision to take the latter path, with the understanding that to go there and come back would be to add almost an extra mile to my distance. Oh well. What's one mile anyway?
It turns out one mile is a lot. At least, it's a lot when you run the half mile out of your way to the restroom only to find that IT WAS CLOSED BECAUSE THE POWER WAS OUT FROM THE HURRICANE! You've got to be eff-ing kidding me. I had no choice but to turn around and head the half mile back plus the 2 miles home. I ended up walking the last two blocks back because I was feeling so ill. Running was not an option. It was the longest two blocks of my life.
Final Stats: 12.9 miles, 2:07:09, 9:51 pace
I'm really upset about this run. Everything was feeling great other than my stomach. And I realized that I am totally capable of comfortably fitting in and completing a 13 mile run on a weekday after a whole day of work. I know that going into my ultra training next winter and spring that I will be making 10+ mile weekday runs a routine, so this was great experiment. I feel totally lost, however, with regards to my future fueling during long runs. Has anyone else had this problem? I'm at the point where I'm not sure if I ever feel comfortable trying them again. Fool me
After I'd entirely emptied the contents of my stomach post-run (over share?) I went in search for dinner. I had, after all, worked up a 1300 calorie appetite. I went for an avocado/tomato/cucumber/romaine whole wheat wrap and copious amounts of tart froyo for dessert (because froyo is exactly what this mostly lactose intolerant, stomach-sick girl needs right?).
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| You may choose to believe that this cup is actually filled with more than just chocolate chips and froyo and that there are actually mango, strawberries, and blueberries hiding underneath |
ALSO,
My Ragnar Relay Pennsylvania team is still looking for three members (at least two female)! The event is October 7-8 and our start time is 11:30 am on that Friday. The team is composed of random runners, so don't worry about feeling like the odd (wo)man out. We all found each other on the Raganr site and I don't think anyone previously knew each other except Mike and I. Please email me at everydayisrunday@gmail.com ASAP if you would be interested in running!! I promise it will be super fun!
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