Rest Day!!!

Not sure how long it has been since I have used that as a title for a blog. Quite a while I suspect. Given it is a rest day, I am, obviously. resting and so don't really have much to report today. No training has occurred.

I did manage to get something that vaguely resembled a sleep in this morning, which was very nice. I think our son let us sleep until something like 5:30. Decadent.

As hoped I have pulled up alright from the run last night. Still a little sore in areas I think, but not too bad. Another stretch tonight should sort it out.

The other thing on the plans for today is to wander down to The Running Centre and buy some more race nutrition. This isn't really a newsworthy event, but I mention it because I am planning on swapping what I use. I have been training and racing on Hammer Perpeteum for almost 12 months now, and I am increasingly starting to think it doesn't really agree with me. The thing about Perpeteum is that it contains a bit of protein. It is quite solid for an energy drink. The protein is in there because Hammer feels it is important for long races (more than three hours). I don't have an issue with that, as far as I am aware the science checks out. But for me personally, it just doesn't seem to work. Perpetuem feels like it sits funny in my stomach and I never seem to be able to run comfortably with it. I gave it one more go on the bike yesterday, and once again it didn't sit right when I was running. I have only really had one good race using it and that was Busselton Half Ironman this year. In that race I still threw up a little bit on the bike, so I am not sure if that counts as success. I am not blaming my bad races on the Perpeteum by the way, there were many many factors in my bad races this year. But the Perpeteum thing is something that has been at the back of my mind for a while. Call it a 1%er if you like.

I am planning on giving another of their products a go, one called HEED. Still a quite smart fuel from what I have seen, but just without the protein. Hammer doesn't recommend it as a sole source of fuel for races much over 2 hours, but I have raced numerous half Ironman's successfully with simple fuel before, so I am not overly concerned by the lack of protein. In fact the simple fuel is exactly what I am after, it is the more complex Perpeteum that I am having the issues with. It is getting pretty close to the time where I don't want to be changing things heading into Mandurah, so now is probably a good time to give it a go. I will try HEED out this weekend and see how it sits. If it doesn't work for me this weekend I still have time to figure out a solution.

I would still put Perpeteum at the top of my list for full Ironman fuel by the way. For a race that long the protein is crucial I think.

As easy as today has been exercise wise, tomorrow is going to be tough. A really solid day of training with two proper sessions. A ride in the morning and a run/walk in the afternoon. I think I had better make the most of my afternoon off.