April 10th Preview

Once each round of training, we take a road trip to the Row River Trail in Cottage Grove. This is that week, which also brings the longest run of this cycle -- 21 miles. Directions for driving or car-pooling to the to the start, along with a course map, come by email.

The route (with an 8:00 start from the trailhead gazebo at 10th and Main in downtown Cottage Grove): follow the paved path to the "10.5" milepost (these posts appear every half-mile, starting at "3.0"). Turn AROUND there and come back the same way. GPS distance is about 21.2 miles.

Bring two drinks -- the first for delivery at Mosby Creek Trailhead (about 3.0 and 18.0 miles), the second at Harms Park (about 8.5 and 12.5 miles). Weather forecast: starting temperature in high 40s with little chance of rain, with day's high reaching the low 60s.

If you can't make this trip, I recommend running a similar with the Eugene Marathon preview on Saturday. It starts at 8:00 from the turf fields between the Rec Center and Hayward Field on 15th.

WEEK 15 LESSON: YOUR FUEL

Question: Do you recommend that I drink during the runs?

Answer: It’s a requirement. You can’t go 26.2 miles without drinking, and probably not without drinking something stronger than plain water. This is true on cool days as well as hot. So I ask you to practice drinking early and often during all training. Bring a bottle of your favorite sports drink for delivery on the course. Walk or stop while drinking, so you’ll get the fluid in you rather than on you. Even though sports drinks supply carbos, it isn’t enough to fuel you for runs this long. I strongly advise you to add “foods” in the form of gels, bars or similar products. Refuel every 30 to 45 minutes during the training run and race. Everyday nutrition and weight control can, of course, affect your performance as well. But I abstain from advising on these matters and ask you to find your own experts (which I’m definitely not).