Gels
Fri, 23/07/2010 - 19:22
I am a relatively new runner. started last april running around local GAA pitch with the intention of funning womens 10K mini marathon in june. I managed that in just under the hour. since then my running is erratic. cant seem to get past 11k no matter what i do. legs have been feeling heavy and its hard to push yourself. I have now decided maybe I needed something to focus on to motivate myself, as its all too easy to stop and walk abit. I want to run the adidas 10mile at the end of august. I bought a sachet of gel and took it this morning before I went for 10km run. I had to stop 4 times on the way aroung. legs weak and me so tired I thought I was gonna collapse. Was it the gel?? Anyone experience anything like this before?? any suggestions on how to get me past 11km running and no heavy or tired legs??
Thu, 29/07/2010 - 10:55
#2
Thanks for all that. Have a partner with me - should've mentioned that. We tried again this week and much improved. we tend to take 2 days off - family commitments, kids etc cant get any run in on weekends. Started back monday and did 7km comfortably. tuesday did 11km comfortably but was around ten at night and too dark on rural country roads to risk going further. tonight we intend on doing 13km hopefully. Felt grand this week running - even enjoyed it a bit and wasnt dreading it. Think tiredness got to me last week - had been driving for 5 hours the night before, got very little sleep, no water in me and no dinner and then up early next morning to do run. Wont do that again. anyway thanks for your reply, hope things back on track now again and will burst on with it.
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Bewildered,
Don’t worry about gels, your body has enough ‘ready energy’ to power you for approximately 2hours plus without reverting to emergency stores. Feeling like that could have been a reaction to the gel, just two weeks ago I tried a new gel and got sudden heart palpitations and increased blood pressure, the caffeine and sugars mix did not agree with me.
Anyway you do not need a gel to run 10K or even up to 21.1K (half marathon). What you need is to do is make it easier for yourself to reach 12K say. You can do this by choosing a course where you know the distance to be 12K say, make sure its a circuit so there is no easy shortcut to cut your run too early. Next you start out at a non race pace, if you could run 10K is one hour, set out at a pace that will see you cover 10K in 1hr10. Keep the heart rate steady, don’t push too hard.
Finally if possible get a partner to cover the distance with you. For one it will encourage you not to stop/walk/take shortcut, for two if you run at a ‘conversation’ pace, you are running just fine and for three the fact that you have a partner will aid in getting you to focus on completing it.