Go Gu!
/I have a new best friend and it is GU Energy Gel. Gu is the goop that eats like a meal and is the secret force behind many a runner's unflagging energy. I did my last long run (8 miles) yesterday before the half-marathon this Saturday. At the halfway point of my run, I tore open a packet of Vanilla Bean Gu and sucked it down.
Ka-ping! I was off. My energy remained high for the rest of the run and I finished the last quarter mile at a sprint. Gu is touted as a "Carbohydrate Energy Gel" and it's also packed with caffeine. I was still wired hours after my run. But I'll most certainly be noshing on some Gu during the half-marathon on Saturday.
I know you're probably all sick of reading about it, but this is the last week so bear with me. I can't help but be worried about the race. The early forecast is for rain, 20-mph-winds and temperatures in the low 40's. That's going to make an already challenging run that much harder. I'm concerned about finishing in perfect running weather--can you imagine what headwinds will do to me?
My running partner has said the throngs of runners and the excitement of the race will help pull an extra couple miles out of everyone they didn't think they had. Although I'll take any finishing time, I'd really like to run under a 9 1/2 minute pace, regardless of weather conditions.
At this point, training is all but over. I'll do a quick 4-5 mile run tomorrow and maybe an easy 3-mile run on Wednesday and then chill until Saturday. On the bright side, after running my 8-miles yesterday I woke up today with absolutely no side effects. No stiff joints, no aching back, nothing. I couldn't even tell I had run the miles. That's a big change from earlier this year when I believe I slept for 5 hours straight after running my first eight and popped Advil for a solid 24 hours.
My mind is fuzzy this week. My attention is already on the race on Saturday and everything else is a distraction. But I do have a few work and home related items to take care of before I go and I best get to them. One of my tasks is to clean out an area sporting store of all available GU. Go GU!