Time for a Hammer Gel?

Week 2 of Pfitz 18/55 is in the books. Yee Haw!

Today's 13 miler was much better than yesterday's 5 mile recovery run. My average pace was 10:55 which is a full minute faster than my recovery run pace. My average heartrate was 150. I tried to pick it up the last three miles, but it wasn't easy considering it was loaded with steep hills. It's one instance where I can tell more from my heartrate than from my actual pace. My heartrate in the last three was 159/157/156.

I took two Hammer Gels with me and used both of them. I think they really helped to keep me from feeling fatigued. I don't see the point, for myself, of depriving myself of carbs, glycogen, calories, whatever you want to call it, on my long runs if I'm just going to feel miserable.

This American Life provided me with an entertaining episode for the first hour of the run. I ate my first gel during David Sedaris' story about people who defacate in stores. Yes, that's right. While David Sedaris was describing how there are actually people who poop in the center of clothing racks, dressing rooms, and in the center of the toilet roll holder I was squeezing a packet of tropical flavored Hammer Gel into my mouth. I shudder to think of what that might say about me. Plenty of things gross me out, but when it's time for my gel, it's time for my gel!