8K training – Week 4 – My gels are melting!

Another week, another 19 miles in the bag: (3+6+2+8)

Thursday’s run was a bit of a challenge. It was scheduled to be a 6 mile tempo run with the middle 4 miles done at 9:47. I’m not the best judge of pace so my average over the 4 miles was more like 9:10. I was a mess when I got home. It didn’t help that I ran first thing in the morning so I’d only eaten half a banana with a squirt of honey and a gel at mile 3. Note to self: runs greater than 5 miles can’t be done without a real breakfast first.

Speaking of gels I’ve made a discovery. Before I started running I’d heard that gels were pretty gross. Then I tried them last winter on my long runs and thought they were the greatest thing ever. I wouldn’t have called them tasty but they were far from gross. They gave a little boost to my runs even though I acknowledge the effect might have been psychological. I haven’t changed the brand or flavour of my gels but lately they haven’t tasted so great. I think the problem is that the summer heat is changing the viscosity and flavour of my gels. In other words, my gels are melting! During the winter they were almost chewy and I like that much better. I tried putting today’s gel in the fridge 24 hours before my 8 mile run but the gel was warm by the time I was ready to have it. My next plan is to try the freezer. I’m a little worried freezing a gel might burst its packaging or it might not defrost quickly enough once I start running but I want my chewy gels back so I’m willing to experiment.