Yesterday's long run was... interesting. In no way would I call it bad, but the first mile and the last mile were rough. I felt like they were awful, though I stayed on a very steady pace throughout my run.
It was very amusing to me that 38 degrees and sunny felt legitimately WARM. I wore my Nike tights and my new Marmot Variant jacket (more on this in a later post). The jacket is going to be fantastic when we return to the teens this week, but yesterday? I was half unzipped, sleeves pushed up, and roasting! I guess I really have acclimated to those cold, early morning runs!
It was the first run long in a long time long enough to bring fuel with me. This gave me a great chance to finally try out Island Boost on the go. The timing is very similar to PowerBar Gels (every 40ish minutes), but it seems to kick in a bit faster. When I would run with PB Gels, I would actually have a moment sometime after I took the Gel where I could feel the Gel hit me and kick in. With Island Boost, I felt just a continued, consistent fuel. I did feel pretty smoked by about mile 7.25, but I'm guessing that was due more to the warmth than anything else.
If you haven't used Island Boost, I highly recommend you try it! (I DID apply to be an IB Ambassador for 2014, but right now, I'm just sharing experience with you). The flavors are decent... I hate the taste of coconut water, and Island Boost is coconut water-based. The drawback for me is that of course, every flavor is a bit tainted by this, but the benefit is that Island Boost is liquid. Yup, liquid. You don't have to choke it down, no difficulty squeezing it out of the pouch on the run, just drink up! This also helps speed it to your muscles. I did think the Aspire flavor tasted a bit like sweaty feet, but the Renegade flavor (blueberry-pomegranate) is pretty good.
What really sold me was using it for a few runs, running out, and getting some more. I like to have some type of fuel right before I run... just to top off my energy stores. I previously used PowerBar Performance Blends, so I decided to try Island Boost the same way. The first few runs, I didn't feel like I noticed anything. I had a good energy reserve, but nothing told me it was completely from the Island Boost. The runs without though were rough. I definitely felt the lack of fuel!! Once I got it back, I felt good again. SOLD! They're also perfect for morning runs... a half cup of coffee, a banana and an Island Boost, and I'm good to go!
Have you tried Island Boost? What are you fueling with? How was your weekend long run?
Workout of the Day: 8 mile run
Song of the Day: "Burn" - Ellie Goulding
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