Workouts:
Wednesday (5/25):
Rest
Thursday (5/26):
6 Easy (Treadmill, -3 – +1% Incline, 51:27, 8:35 Pace)
Friday (5/27):
Rest
Saturday (5/28):
8 Easy (Treadmill, -3 – +4% Incline, 1:04:30, 8:04 Pace)
Sunday (5/29):
6.2 Easy (‘Hood, 53:03, 8:34 Pace)
Monday (5/30):
12 Med-Long (‘Hood, 1:48:08, 9:01 Pace)
Tuesday (5/31):
Rest
Wednesday (6/1):
3 Easy (Treadmill, -.5% – 0% Incline, 23:49, 7:57 Pace)
Thursday (6/2):
6 Easy (‘Hood, 52:18, 8:43 Pace)
Friday (6/3):
Rest
Saturday (6/4):
0.72 Easy (Warm Up for Race, 7:04, 9:49 Pace)
3.1 Race (Washington Cherry Festival, 22:04, 7:04 Pace, 3rd Female Overall)
Sunday (6/5):
13.1 Med-Long (‘Hood, 1:58:04, 9:01 Pace)
Monday (6/6):
2.04 Easy (‘Hood, 19:05, 9:22 Pace)
P90X – Core Synergistics – 57 Mins
Tuesday (6/7):
4 Easy (Treadmill, -3% – +4% Incline, 34:17, 8:34 Pace)
So if you even sporadically read my blog over the last six months you know that my stomach has been an issue that I’ve been dealing with regarding half and full marathons. It’s something so terrible that it’s become undeniable how bad it is since it’s appears to have been worse this spring.
Well phase one at an attempt for resolution began with me giving up lactose (cow’s milk). It wasn’t a far leap to make this change. In fact, I actually enjoy almond milk more in my coffee. It adds a nutty layer of flavor that is very good. The down side is I can’t get soy/almond milk at work for my coffee (at least none that I can find), so I just have to plan better and bring my own or buy more Starbucks (oh darn). I can say I noticed a huge difference right away. The tummy grumbles that plague me daily subsided a bit. I’m definitely sticking to this.
Still I wasn’t a 100% and my training runs were even starting to feel bad like my race day experiences. It’s time to try being gluten-free. This one is a bit more tricky. I have some foods already that I love that just happen to be gluten-free, but others I have to find a new brand altogether. This includes changing tortillas, pastas and breads. I will be updating my nutrition page as I find products that I love.
Still I have yet to find that right food to eat before big races and during the race that will keep my tummy happy. My next experiment of race food and fuels is with Hammer Nutrition.
I’m trying out Hammer products because our neighbor and Ironman is a fan and let us try some of Hammer’s Perpetuum and it tasted delicious and didn’t seem to hurt my stomach. I love that their website has so much information and that their products are made to be interchangeable by the type of race you are doing. I also love that they offer complete systems with pre and post workout fuel. Their products are gluten and lactose free. I’m excited to see how all of the products taste, if my tummy agrees with them and how they seem to work for me during races. More posts to come about this and other products as I continue to search for the remedy to my tummy issues.
Chase:Every:Second 
06/08/2011 at 7:41 AM
Wow good luck. I have heard nothing with hammer products and there are so many GF foods and such now that it won’t be as hard as say 5 years ago. I really hope this works out for you so you can get back to feeling the bomb.com during your runs.
06/08/2011 at 8:05 AM
Thanks Hollie!! 🙂 I hope that I anyone has info good or bad about Hammer products will post their experiences. Fingers crossed it helps my situation.
06/08/2011 at 8:35 AM
I am a die hard Hammer user! I use the gel, heed, you name it! In fact, the last marathon I ran I took 2 Hammer gels and carried Hammer Heed in my 2-10oz bottles on my fuel belt. Worked out perfectly! I hope it works for you too!!
06/08/2011 at 1:15 PM
Oh awesome!!! I’m so glad it works for you! I hope I have good results with it!
06/08/2011 at 10:35 AM
Hi there! I found your blog via other running blogs and have been following your tummy issues. This has been a long-term problem for myself and I have experimented with many different things to ensure no race-day worries! Everyone is different, but feel free to check out my blog for ideas and I would love to share with you other things that have worked for me. I know exactly how you feel and how awful it is to have that worry sitting in your head for every run, so I wanted to reach out and offer some advice to help a fellow girly out! 🙂
my blog is http://www.arianahilborn.com
Before I raced PF Changs RNR Arizona this past January I posted a bit about what I ate : http://arianahilborn.com/2011/01/
Let me know if you would like some other ideas. Good luck!
ariana.hilborn@gmail.com
06/08/2011 at 1:42 PM
Hi, CJ! Just wanted to throw this out there. 6 months is pretty long time to have tummy issues. Do you think you should see a dr.? I don’t know the ins and outs of it all, but your symptoms are similar to those when I had a stomach ulcer. I really hope you get it all worked out soon. I’m sure it’s frustrating.
06/08/2011 at 2:53 PM
Eliminating dairy products have helped me out soooo much. My race day fuel is a banana, some Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Dreams peanut butter (http://ilovepeanutbutter.com/) on toasted Ezekial bread (http://www.foodforlife.com/) and water and some gatorade. I have only used Heed in a race b/c that was the beverage that was being handed out at the water stops. It was good! Good luck and I hope things improve for you soon!
06/08/2011 at 7:56 PM
Hey! I was thinking in reading your previous posts that it could be a gluten issue. My husband was recently diagnosed with celiacs. There are a lot of products out there but some of our favorite brands are Udis and Pamelas. Good luck! I hope it helps!