Friday, August 13, 2010

Long Run Recap!

Well I know you all have been just dying to read about my long run last weekend haven't you?! It was my longest run to date in my half marathon training... 8 miles!! :D I had bought a couple of powerbar gel packets at my local GNC store because that was the only gel I could find and I wanted to see if it actually helped or not. The week before that I did 7 miles and felt like I was going to die. So, I ate one about 15 minutes before my run, it was vanilla and it actually tasted pretty good! I then proceeded to loosen up and stretch a little and headed out the door with my Ipod.


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I ditched my shirt around mile 1, left it on a fence post for pick up on my way back… I was feeling pretty good... like nothing could stop me. I even forgot about my ankle, which I had managed to hit with a softball bat the day before… it was just one of those days lol… then i took another gel packet around mile 4. I dont recommend the strawberry/banana in the powerbar gels, i dont know about other gels but… i gagged and almost threw up in the middle of the road lol… I kept expecting to hit a wall and mile 5 passed and mile 6 passed and i felt better than ever… im pretty sure i was even smiling lol… i even belted out a chorus of a song that was playing on my ipod haha… yeah, i’m a dork… i got back to my shirt and threw it around my neck and just kept running… i felt so alive! :D i picked up the pace the last 800 meters or so just cuz it felt good… I got home and realized that i didn’t even stop once to walk up any hills lol. IT WAS A FABULOUS RUN!!! I did drink the whole 16.9 ounces of water I had been carrying with me though.

Long Run Stats:

Date: 8/6/10
Time: 12:28pm
Temperature: 93 degrees

Goal Distance: 8 miles
Goal Pace: 11:14 min/mile

Actual Distance: 8.02 miles
Actual Pace: 10:27 min/mile
Actual Time: 1 hour 23 min


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Elevation Minimum: 860 feet
Elevation Maximum: 1020 feet
Ascent: 312 feet
Descent: -312 feet

I really think the Powerbar Gel worked!! :D It was a great run... I love great runs because they really boost my confidence for my first half marathon! :D I have heard a lot about GU in the blogging world; a lot of people giving it away, talking about it, eating it like candy... so I looked it up on the internet. I then thought "I wonder why that's the only gel I ever really hear about? Why don't people blog about powerbar gel?" So I decided to contact GU to see if there was anyway possible they could send me a sample packet to test out and I told them I would gladly do a blog review about it. They sent me 4 packets of gel in the flavors that I picked out!! So I am really excited to see what all the hype is about! So look for a product review in a couple weeks!

Well, I'm gonna crochet for a little bit and head to bed because a friend of mine from high school contacted me and said that she just got into running and signed up for her first 5k in September!! How cool is that?! So I am going running with her tomorrow!! She has 3 miles planned for a run/walk so i'm gonna see if she'll go 1 more mile so i can get in my last 4 miles for my cutback week...lol ;) I'll probably take pictures before... maybe during... it's in a new place... a state park so it shall probably be pretty! :D

What's your preferred GEL? Do you have a favorite flavor?

5 comments:

  1. good work on the long run! it is amazing how different everything is when your body is well fueled, right? i do love gu...the chocolate mint and pineapple (which is gu roctane). i've heard that there's a new flavor that i want to try. i've done the powerbar ones and they're pretty good. the main difference is the consistency. gu tends to be a little thicker. i've recently enjoyed the honey-based stinger gels. its all based on preference really...some just do candy or peanut butter/jelly sandwiches...whatever works for you is fine.

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  2. Nice run, and nice about the GU samples!

    I love GU. I like the flavors, which is huge, and it has never bothered my stomach. I lean towards the lemon/citrus flavors, but today I tried chocolate for the first time....yum. it was just like pudding!

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  3. thanks for stopping by my blog! Way to go on your long run...it's amazing what are bodies can adapt to! I just tried GU for the first time and it was a little tricky for me because I'm a texture eater. UNtil that point I had been a starburst girl, but I did like the energy I had from GU! Good luck!

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  4. WOOHOO!!! Great run! Finishing a run feeling like you could have cranked out a few more miles is one of the best feelings.

    I love GU, especially the fruity-flavored ones. I bought a few PowerBar gels but haven't tried them yet. I think I have vanilla. :) On runs longer than 70 minutes, I take gels at 40 minutes, 85 minutes, 130 minutes, and I haven't needed any past that (longest run was 165 minutes). For 10k races, I take a gel 15 minutes before and then another in the middle of the race. Be sure to drink a few ounces of water as you take the gel. That's awesome GU is sending you some to review!!

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  5. yay! Congrats on your long run! I love reaching new distances!! Good luck on your track workout tomorrow :)

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Thanks for stopping by! I love hearing from you! Have a GREAT day!! :)

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