This One's Gonna Hurt!

Oh my goodness.

I got up early Saturday to head down to Chicago's lakefront to do my 7 mile run. I got there just after 8 a.m. to meet a group I was running with, but there were so many runners around, I never did find my group. Oh well, off I went...

I was a bit tired. I've been horrible with my sleep as of late. I've been getting about 5 1/2 to 6 hours a night. It's just a bad habit I need to break and it caught up with me this morning. I was really ready to run, but I was feeling it a bit in my legs. It didn't help that I was running around Friday night and didn't get to relax much.

Still, it was productive. I was doing much better after mile 5, and decided to do the last two miles at my 5K race speed - 8:35 minutes-per-mile! (fast!) This after averaging 10:35 most of the run. It was really invigorating- tomorrow I will pay!

I've been experimenting with some power gels and energy shots during my long runs. Gels and powershots speed carbohydrates, electrolytes, and other nutrients to your muscles to keep you from wearing down too fast during intense exercise- and yes these are legal! And available at most sport retailers or supermarkets... :-)

I've tried two so far. Rocket Shot (left) and PowerBar Gel (right).

I'm not quite sure if they do anything for me yet, since I've been taking one during both of my 7 mile runs. I took the Rocket Shot during my 7 miles today around mile 5. Would that explain my boost to a 8:35 minute-mile and feeling damn good while doing it? Perhaps, but I would of probably done it anyway with the help of a good, rockin' tune on my iPod!! (click to play The Generators - So Many Miles)

The reviews? The Rocket Shot is disgusting! Think Red Bull stuffed into a four inch capsule and the taste multiplied by ten. Ick! The top has a seal on it that I would of fumbled with if I hadn't taken it off before my run. Come to think of it, my Garmin clocked a 7 minute mile near the end there.... nah... coincidence I suppose!

The strawberry/banana PowerBar Gel is a bit more palatable, but the goo is hard to take down at first. I have to wash it down with a gulp of water. The seal at the top has a razor sharp edge that can scar your tongue if you're not careful! I prefer this one over the Rocket Shot, but the goo is sticky, and makes a mess of everything if let loose.

This talk of goo's and gels is making me hungry... time to grab the best source of nutrients on the planet- a fat, juicy cheesburger!