A big hello from Captain Cutoff!

As always, I hope your training is progressing well as you approach the half way mark. You probably have noticed that the time commitment has picked up a bit as those long runs are taking more than twice the time as most of your weekly distances. No worries, just remind yourself of the commitment and drive on!

Let's take a few moments to chat about hydration and nutrition as we enter the second half of the training schedule. As the training time increases, so does your body's needs for fluid and energy. It is not uncommon for us to take off on 5-8 miles without thinking or worrying about fluids and nutrition. However, as we get longer than that, we need to be intentional in keeping our bodies hydrated and energized from beginning to end. Even in the cooler weather we need to be conscious of this and maintain fluid input during our training. Popular running publications and websites suggest consuming fluids every 15-20 minutes and nutrition every 50-60. This is probably a good guideline, but may vary from person to person. If you don't know, use this as a starting point. Adjust as necessary. The big thing is to have a plan in place!

On race day there will be water/aid stations approximately every other mile. Here you will find water, sports drinks, and energy gel (brand to be determined). Personally, I alternate fluid between water and sports drink at every stop. Again, this may vary for you, so do what works. Others carry a water bottle(s) and provide their own fluids throughout the course.

As far as nutrition and the aid station gels, make sure they are compatible with your body! If you have trained with one brand, make sure that is what you have available. Don't necessarily rely on what is provided if your stomach is not accustomed to that brand. There are numerous options for carrying fluid and nutrition on race day. Take a look at the options and choose something that works well for you. Train with it now and it shouldn't hinder you on race day.

In closing I would just reiterate that it is important to plan and practice your intake. Don't wait until you "feel" like you need water or food. It is difficult for your body to catch up if you wait too long. Experiment during training and be ready on race day!

For those interested, here is a half distance route that covers some of the race day course. You may have this distance coming up soon on your schedule. Enjoy!