Today's Mighty Oak


34 miles, six loops, here’s what I used:

First up, liquids. Started with Nuun energy, since I actually kind of liked it. Used that for four loops. I was having trouble eating as much as I knew I should be after a while, so my last two loops I switched to tailwind, and that was great!

I also made sure to have some regular water each loop, especially after I noticed how dehydrated I was, the weather was shit, and the heat and humidity were getting to me. Had a tiny can of Diet Coke after loop 4 for the extra sugar and caffeine.

Here’s what I ate after each loop:

Loop one: Half a Bobo’s Bar

Loop two: Half a Bobo’s Bar. Still one of my favorites for a reason.

Loop three: No Cow chocolate mint bar. Not bad, a little dry, wouldn’t have again (would sub in a chocolate mint complete cookie to scratch this flavor itch)

Loop four: Can’t make out the brand but a dairy-free chocolate peanut butter bar thing. Very similar to an RX bar in terms of consistency, so not bad. I’ve only seen these at the Vitamin Shoppe, and RX Bars are easier to find.

Loop five: Jelly beans. Nothing sounded good, but I knew I could grab a handful of these and go with it, so they were just right for me for this loop.

After loop 6, had some more jelly beans as I waited for the train to pass so I could leave the parking lot, but otherwise, wasn’t really interested in eating. Forced myself to eat the rest of the day, but in very small increments.

Overall, I’m really happy with what I’ve found works the best for me: Tailwind after mile 20, Bobo’s Bars, jelly beans, mint chocolate complete cookie and something every now and then for caffeine. I’ll be stocking up for Eagle Up!

I’ve noticed I tend to not go for anything salty. I take a salt tab every five miles, and this helps me a ton, so I think that tends to work for me, but I’m always cautious of keeping an eye on that.



I basically repeated what I tried before, but with a small change. I had half a Bobo’s Bar the first two loops, and while I liked it, I was not drinking quite enough, so it was a bit tougher to swallow.

But generally, I still love the Bobo’s Bars, I’m glad they’re a normal part of my fuel now.

This was paired with Nuun sport, which I’m actually liking more and more. I think it’s a bit expensive, and I’m still unsure why the marathon switched from Gatorade, but it’s a good alternative, and I’m enjoying the mango flavor.

My last loop, I had another complete cookie (I found that they do a small version, so each cookie is 200 calories), this time, the birthday cake flavor. I liked the mint a lot better: for whatever reason, the birthday cake one was more solid and I liked the chocolate mint one being soft and basically melting in my mouth.



I called my long run after 12 miles, but still had a chance to try some new fuel. After my first loop, had half a Bobo’s Bar, and after my second loop (when I thought I’d be able to go for more), I had half of a ‘Complete Cookie.’

I really liked the Complete Cookie, I’m a sucker for chocolate and mint, and it was super soft and easy to eat. The downsides are one, they’re expensive, and two, each cookie (which is huge by the way), is 400 calories. So maybe that’s something I’ll keep in my back pocket for the later hours of a race, a quick and delicious way to get more fuel than I otherwise would, plus a fun treat!



My long run was only 14 miles this week, but on the jail trail loop, gave me a chance to go past my car twice. Tried out nutter butters, which a friend uses as fuel for marathons, as well as ultras.

I grabbed two each time, and they were okay. But nothing spectacular I suppose, and maybe a little dry. However, I love peanut butter, so for a good mental boost, they’ll be something I’ll remember in the future!

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