Tuesday Tangents + My Most Common Running Lesson!!

I did Pepsi and pretzels during the 2nd half of the Ironman Marathon and it was heavenly. Despite feeling like I was at a Superbowl party, I really benefited from it. BUT, once you start the cola, you kinda have to stick with it. This is why I waited. Back in the olden days a marathon aid station would have cola, gummy bears, snicker bars, jelly beans, and gatorade. In fact, I still consider a snickers bar the original energy bar!

No on scary movies.

Tuesday tangent-I dreamt I had twins, at home, with no medication. Then, 4 hours later I was at a craft show with the babies. Weird…….since my youngest is 13 and my oldest is 23.

Hard pass on scary movies. I can read scary books with no problems, but movies freak me out. However, I did get talked into seeing A Quiet Place and it’s not scary, just very suspenseful. And so quiet. Kind of a weird movie experience.

Thanks so much for sharing your fueling/nutrition thoughts! I am running my first marathon this year and know I can’t just wing it like I do with the half. It’s great to see your thoughts and information you come across!

Thanks so much for linking your Boston recap!! I’m running it for the first time on Monday! I know I’m ready, and I’ll finish fine and everything, but the weather has me nervous! Rain and strong winds..yikes! I know it’s out of my control, so technically I shouldn’t worry but that doesn’t stop me haha!! I just really want to do well, reading your recap helped a lot to get someone’s experience in rough conditions! Any other tips you might remember would be greatly appreciated :) I hope you had a great workout today!!

I was just listening to Lindsey Hein’s most recent podcast with Neely Spence Gracey and she said she’s started to experiment with flat coke on her marathon training runs! I tried it once during a 50K and it worked pretty well. I also started using salt tablets while training for that race. I used them during a trail marathon when it was 85 degrees and they worked great! I felt like it really helped me keep up with my hydration and not bonk even though it was so hot out.

The weather on the east cost has been all over the place lately too! On Saturday it was 34 with a feels like temp of 24 so I was in full winter gear for my run (long pants, vest, gloves, etc.). But the temps are supposed to slowly increase to the 70s this weekend so I think it will finally be time to break out the shorts!

And man I feel you on the easy runs feeling harder than the speed work. This happens during all of my training cycles! And the first few miles of every long run. I think our bodies/ brains just save all their energy for the big runs and then know they can feel more tired on the easy days. Or something like that lol. (Aka my non-scientific, makes sense in my head, opinion haha)

Skye might be the happiest baby I’ve ever seen! That first pic made my day!!
I think your niece looks like you! And Skye is really starting to look like Brooke. Maybe it’s some of her expressions.
I have one Coke a week after my long run on Sunday. For some reason it sounds so good a few hours after my run.
I don’t like gory scary movies, but I don’t mind one that is suspenseful and messes with your mind a little bit. I have a really bad startle response so sudden scares are not fun for me.
My Tuesday Tangent is that I’m counting down the days until April 17th. I’m a tax accountant and that day cannot be over soon enough.

I don’t think I could do flat coke…would flat Dr Pepper provide the same benefit?

I used to like scary movies, but i swear becoming a mom turned me off to them. It makes my mother anxiety shoot through the roof. However, I still like movies that would be categorized as “thrillers” which I’ve heard A Quiet Place is. So I may see it, after it comes out, during the day with all the light on and some distractions.

Tuesday tangent—my baby’s first birthday is tomorrow and I have not planned a thing for her. (3rd child and I feel super guilty). It just kind of snuck up on me and so today is going to be kind of crazy throwing something (anything) together for her.

How much “fueling” do you usually do for a half marathon? Just wondering as I’m running my 4th one in May. I usually do not use anything, I get in my head that they give me sideaches. ? I know if I’m going to use something, I better start it now!
Thank you!
Have a beautiful day!
Hayley

So I’ve never tried the salt tablets but on my last marathon I carried my own electrolyte knowing I would run out and use what was on the course. I then had their Gatorade and I believe the sodium in the Gatorade is what totally helped make me feel so good during the marathon. That plus I ate a gel every 4-5 miles but with the last 4 miles I just didn’t want to take one so I could run a bit faster to finish.
I think a cola after would be great I think it would mess up my stomach if I drank during. But I also take the Huma Gels and some of them also have caffeine.
So interested in reading your nutrition follow up. I feel like running is the art and nutrition is the science to being a marathoner.

Hi! Skye has the best smile! Congrats on Skye’s blessing day :)

As for nutrition, I would highly recommend “The New Rules of Marathon and Half-Marathon Nutrition: A Cutting-Edge Plan to Fuel Your Body Beyond “”the Wall”” by Matt Fitzgerald. He covers everything about how to fuel during the marathon, including supplements like caffeine. And how to prepare your body for fuelling. It is so good!

Hope you have a lovely day!

I have not done flat coke for road marathons, but on the trails and longer ultra races, flat coke has saved me. Calories and fluid. For races I have had a starbucks bottle frappucino – my partner brings it to me at the aid station and spikes it :).

Ran and got caught in soaking rain, today I did shorts and a long sleeve top – probably could have done a tank.

I don’t like scary movies either

Have a great day!

I think this Chicago weather has made me sick, so instead of running I am just reading about running – ha ha.
I like suspense thrillers and my husband likes horror movies so as a compromise we went to go see a quiet place. It is so good. It is so quiet in the theater that my husband bought some candy and reached his hand into the bag and the guy in front of us turned around and gave him a dirty look. If you like popcorn, you have to go to the movie early and eat it during the previews. You might not be as scared as you think because as a mother you would be criticizing a lot of the choices they made – LOL.

I don’t drink soda but there is something about coke in an ultra that gets the wind back in my sails!

I live in Florida and get dehydrated very easily bc of weather and naturally very low blood pressure. I use salt tabs during a half marathon (one serving is two tabs- halfway through- 45-50 mins in). During marathon training I’d take a gel every 45-60 minutes and two salt tabs in between. That’s what I did for the Chicago marathon too. I have not gotten the typical muscle cramps, and although I was very thirsty by the end of the marathon, I think it had more to do with weather and a drier climate than I’m used to. My stomach felt 100% the whole time, never got fuzzy brain, and I ended the marathon smiling and at a faster pace. I feel like nutrition played a huge role. Good luck!

crumbl is the bomb. I am a cookie lover. chip used to be dangerous to me. but crumbl will deliver to SF so its even worse!!! I’m always thinking about having a cookie as a reward after a good long run. I’m all about giving the flat coke a try although I hadn’t heard of it until now. give me some caffeine!!! I just read your newest post about your speedwork. Girl you are on fire!!!