2008 - a bit late

[Sweder]

Seriously envious MD - I know the run of which you speak, that elusive endorphin-monster, the magical unexpected flight of fantasy that springs from nowhere. Look for it again and you'll not find it; in that regard such a run is like true love, not something that can be searched for, it simply must be allowed to happen on its own terms.

The raisins are interesting. I've been dancing around the idea of food on the run. Normally I can't abide dried fruit but I'm told by zealous devotees that when you 'positively absolutely have to kill every m-----f----- ounce of lactic acid in your legs' to accept no substitute. This also resonates with something Jog Shop Sam told me about keeping the stomach interested so that when you need a boost - via a gel or whatever - you've kept some blood in the region to aid digestion. If you don't eat for an hour or so the body distributes resources to others vital areas (muscles, lungs) leaving the digestive tract dormant, nullifying the effect of food taken later on.

As you can tell I haven't grasped this completely but on a basic level it makes sense. I've tried working with wine gums, taking them at regular intervals on a run (Seaford Half), and this seemed effective. More research required. I'll give it a go on Sunday (I'll need all the help I can get, veturing out with a gaggle of horribly fit swine for a hilly fifteen miler) - maybe Jelly babies this time.