All The Gear, No Idea!

Hey there! This week I had a four night run in work which pretty much rules out 5 days of the week for any long distance running. I can get away with doing a strength/weights session before a night shift, some times it even helps to perk me up if I've not slept well during the day, but I'd be nodding off halfway through my shift if I went for a two hour run before work. So the schedule for the week was long run, rugby and a couple of gym sessions. 

So, after finishing last weeks post I got myself ready and headed out for my scheduled 15-16 mile run. Since I'm now doing more than the odd jog now and then I've started to accumulate bits and bobs of running gear. Along with the trainers I got last week I have, so far, collected a selection running clothes (including some leggings, which I enjoy wearing a little too much); a hydration pack; a bumbag/utility belt; a head torch (for night runs) and  three multifunctional head band things. 

For anything over an hour I like to take my hydration pack with me to make sure I don't go thirsty. I also was using a recently purchased bum bag/utility belt to carry my iPod and 3 High5 Isogels (www.highfive.co.uk) So with all the gear and no idea I set off and quickly found myself with a problem. After only a mile or so I noticed my hydration pack had sprung a leak and my lower back and thighs were soaked. I was using a replacement bladder I'd just bought because I'd melted the last one trying to clean it with boiling water! There was only about 150mls left in the pack so I drank that down and pondered what to do. I didn't fancy running in wet pants and with nothing to drink for the next 2 hrs but seeing as the wall run is split into roughly 15 mile stages I thought I could easily find myself in the same situation on the day and can't really just turn round and go home, so I soldiered on (I know, I'm a real tough nut!). But then it got really bad... my iPod stopped working! It had gotten wet from the leak and halfway through Olly Murs' Troublemaker, the music stopped. Thankfully a minute or so later it came back on,  and I was able to carry on enjoying the latest offering from Mr Murs featuring additional vocals by Flo Rida. 

Anyway the rest of the run went fairly smoothly apart from taking the wrong turn to get on a canal path and ending up in a canal boat repair yard. It was a new route for me, quite flat going out and back from Runcorn along the Bridgewater canal and through Walton gardens. The weather wasn't bad, dry but with a chilly breeze. I had planned on taking the energy gels every 4 miles and did feel like I had a bit of boost 10-15mins after taking and generally felt stronger at the end of the run compared to my last weeks 13 miler. The recommend use is to take three an hour so I'll probably try that next week to compare. Thankfully I had ordered the Isogels which are more of a liquid consistency rather than the standard thicker energy gel which you need to drink water with so it wasn't too hard to stomach without a drink. 

So along with learning the new route I learnt a couple of things to change for future long runs: 

- More than one water source, in case of leakage or some change so I could buy a bottle of water would be a sensible idea; 

- Take spare energy gels in case I tire more quickly or need to take them more often;

- Keep iPod away from water! 

- And don't buy cheap hydration bladders!

The next day we entered the start of the sixth major ice age so our rugby match was cancelled on the Saturday, I hit the gym instead after having a quick snow ball fight! There is quite simply nothing like rings training! I Indulged in a rather large Sunday dinner at mothers before starting my run of nights in work, managed to squeeze in another good gym session on Tuesday and a kettlebell workout on Thursday. 

Next up 18-20 miles off road on Friday!