Twocat, I read that blog site stuff and although much of it supports my earlier position, I didn't care much for the construction of the study with the one leg-two leg thing. Also, in my head I have divided up the suggested "user groups" for my preferred approach, separating serious competitors from more recreational, non-racing distance runners. There are some people who simply feel more comfortable taking gels during long runs and those are people whose minds I don't hope or expect to change. Tomorrow I'll try to explain my position more clearly. Tramps, I absolutely agree. Tim, I had forgotten about that, but you are right, and if you can do that exact same two miles next month you will be off to a fabulous start. By the way, that allusion to people jumping over hedges and running down the center median etc actually occurs. Those of you who have been to big crowded races I am sure have seen it yourself. What a madhouse. Spareribs

I wonder what early conditioning has to add to the equation of fueling. I really feel my body/mind learned some core truths from being an athlete from a young age. Hard to put a study together to prove or disprove that one. And since that young age occurred at a time when fueling during practice or an event wasn't the norm, it learned its truth. A truth for 1. So, for this one body, it is drawn towards the minimal fuel concept because it is what it knows and what is comfortable based on its history. If I had come of age in this time, when fueling is the norm, I wonder if the exact same body would have come to the exact opposite conclusion.

Today's thread has hurt my head, but I can report that I ran 8ish easy miles this morning, and I'm supposed to do another 4.5 easy (aka, 'go to the post office') this afternoon. If it isn't raining.

I did indeed go to the post office. 12.5 easy miles total for the day... plus a 2 mi walk to/from a nearby bar here in about 20 minutes. Do I get to count those miles?

Whew! Is it June yet? I don't remember getting slammed with this many early mornings and late nights at school during a concert season like this one in 14 years of teaching music. Morning concert and evening recruitment event today. Two more day-time recruitment thing-ies and an evening concert yet to go this week. Plus all of the usual stuff. I know, I know, we get the "whole summer" off, blah, blah, blah. Snuck in a 2-mile run and a 2-mile walk near school between the end of the school day and tonight's presentation. (Did shower in between.) Wow, it's hilly near my school! And my unhappy ankle tendons, as my podiatrist described them, are really downright PO'd from running and walking up those hills. I'm not really liking the amount of traffic near school, either, so tomorrow it's off to Valley Forge park - where the hills are somewhat more rolling - for a few miles between the school day and the concert. Makes for a long day, but better to get outside for a little sunshine than not. Eliz

I have been shunned in two cultures... At Japanese train stations, nobody hands me kleenex, either. I am irrelevant! On campus, no students hand me little flyers for upcoming concerts! I am old!

Went to the track and did the group workout; warm up and strides and 800m + full set of bleachers X 4, cool down laps. Lots of smack talk.

8 mi RAW

yikes, Tim, that would NOT be a pretty sight.