On Saturday I headed out for what was going to be a 27km run. For the first 9km I ran with the Mr, we just chatted and I didn’t have the volume on my iPhone turned on to hear the pace notifications. Once we got to Richmond Park he turned around, I popped in my headphones and continued on to do a little loop in the park. It was very windy but that park is so freaking scenic I can handle just about any kind of weather running through there.
After 20km I ate the 3 dates I had taken with me. I figured it’s time to test what will work for me as far as food on the run goes since my digestion is a bit sensitive. Someone suggested dried fruit and I had dates at home, so dates it was. I had also taken a Bounce almond ball with me but I gave up eating that after a few bites – it’s too hard and I had no energy to chew it (AND to breathe at the same time).
Runmeter said 27km at the end of my street, I stopped running, walked home and felt that I actually really really needed to go to the bathroom. Now.
At home I found the Mr having a shower and I cursed the life with just one bathroom! Thankfully he got my message after a few very direct hints and got out of the shower very fast.
Verdict of first test of ‘nutrition on the run’:
- Dates – NO (GI issues)
- Bounce almond ball – NO (too hard to chew)
I checked my Runmeter afterwards and saw that it had recorded the first km at just 1 minute 42 seconds so I had to cut off some distance from the 27km 🙁 It still goes down in history though as the Longest Run I’ve Ever Done. Until next week, that is 😉
Summary of last week’s training:
- Monday: rest day
- Tuesday: Crossfit
- Wednesday: 15.07 km at 5:08 min / km pace, 1:17:17
- Thursday: Crossfit
- Friday: rest day
- Saturday: 26.36 km at 5:34 pace, 2:26:37
- Sunday: 10.15km at 5:11 pace, 52:33
Total: 51.58 km (32 miles)
I was actually thinking that the GI issues could also have caused by the slice of banana bread I had before the run, it’s gluten-free and I only used 30g of maple syrup for the whole loaf but it’s something I haven’t eaten before a run before so it is a possible offender.

But it looks so innocent!
My tummy has been actually a bit bubbly lately and I’m thinking that maybe I’ve also overdone it with the Ryvitas 😐 The plan now is to eat super super super clean so that I will not have to queue for a portaloo in the middle of my 1st marathon in 9 weeks time. Eeek! So soon!
1 Comment
sami
February 4, 2013 at 9:27 pmdates (have more fiber than a prune), bananas and most dried fruit tends to cause a laxative effect on people. i try to stay away from dried fruit/high fiber/caffine BEFORE exercise and save fiber for afterwards. try (homemade) protein bar the morning of and eating healthy carbohydrates the night before long runs like quinoa, sweet potatoes, etc. I also make sure to have to drink a healthy electrolyte mix (alacer electroMIX) night before long distances.