Sweat gets in your eyes (and more about Gu)

Today I had a good run. I needed it, too, because, over the past four weeks or so, I've had some pretty bad runs. Runners know the kinds of bad runs I'm talking about: legs feeling heavy at mile two of a four-mile run, a sense that you can never get your breathing to work so that you don't have to think about it, an absence of the runner's high.

I'm still not sure why I felt so good, but I can identify a few factors. First, the weather was gorgeous: bright blue skies, low humidity, temperature in the high 60s or low 70s. I also preceded the run by ingesting a Gu energy gel--Lemon Sublime in this case, about which more below--and consumed another one--Mint Chocolate--about 30 minutes into the run. I also attempted to be more deliberate in controlling my pace: I've learned that nothing can ruin a run as effectively as starting too fast.

I also returned to one of my favorite trails for the first time in two years. (Last summer was a bad running summer for me, and I did no trails.)  While I'd forgotten some details of the trail, I did find it easier than I had remembered it. Sure, there are a couple of somewhat steep climbs, but even they seemed less difficult than I remembered them. I'm inclined to run this trail a couple of days a week.

Of late, I've been running more and more without a sweat band or a cap, but that might be a mistake. It's warm enough, even now, that the sweat gets in my eyes. It's a minor annoyance, to be sure, but it does affect my ability to concentrate on my pace. In general, I tend to run too fast when I'm distracted.

As for the Gu gels: the Lemon Sublime stuck around too long in my mouth, but I enjoyed the Mint Chocolate. Neither of these have caffeine (and I'd had about 20 ounces of coffee not too long before running), but they seemed to be just what I needed for a good morning run.

The Gu Taste Test - Part II

Since my last post, I've had two long runs, the second of which was the Broad Street Run. During those outings, I had opportunities to sample a few more of the Gu Energy Gels. Here's what I've found.

I had one more Vanilla Bean gel that I consumed prior to my last training run. I didn't find it as unappetizing as the first time, but I still didn't care for it. (Incidentally, the Vanilla Bean has 20 mg of caffeine.) On that same run, I also had two packets of the Jet Blackberry flavor, which has 40 mg of caffeine. While it was palatable, it wasn't particularly appealing. The Mint Chocolate, on the other hand, was more appealing, probably the best of the caffeine-free gels that I've had thus far.

During the Broad Street Run, I tried four different gels. Two were non-caffeinated: the Lemon Sublime and the Strawberry Banana; the former was fine, but the latter was probably the worst tasting of the gels I've had yet. I also had the Chocolate Outrage gel (20 mg caffeine), which was good. The real surprise, though, was the Espresso Love gel, which, as befits its name, contains 40 mg of caffeine. It is probably my favorite of the gels I've had so far.

The GU Taste Test - Part I

Two weeks till the Broad Street Run, and my long runs are getting long enough that I'm needing to take energy gels to carry me through to the end. In previous years, I've stopped into a local running or sporting goods store to indiscriminately grab a handful of GU gels. Problem is, they're not cheap, so I know I'd be better off buying in bulk. But that raises another problem: what could be worse than having to consume a box of 24 gels in a flavor that you discover repulses you?

Fortunately, GU offers a sampler pack containing an assortment of various flavors. It costs a little more than the single-flavor boxes, but, if you're like me and are worried about getting caught in the unfortunate scenario I described above, it's probably worthwhile for assisting you in determining which flavors might merit the purchase of a 24-pack in the future.

Today I began my taste test. I ran 10 miles, accompanied by four GU packets, two each of Vanilla Bean and Mandarin Orange. Following the directions, I consumed the first one, a Vanilla Bean packet, 15 minutes before I began my run.

YECHHHHH! The Vanilla Bean was awful. At first, it seemed okay, but as I finished, its sickening sweetness lingered in my mouth for minutes. And the worst part? While there are two of most of the flavors in the sampler pack, there are three Vanilla Beans! Fortunately, the Mandarin Orange was much better, almost refreshing, in fact.

So that's week one. Next week, I'll try out two more flavors and render my verdict. Stay tuned.