I made it out today with the intention of making up the miles I missed yesterday due to hitting the wall on my 22 miler. Overall I was quite happy in pulling in just about 15 miles after doing 18 yesterday, but I can’t seem to find the right solution to battle the heat and the humidity, because thankfully I was done when I was, but I was starting to feel the effects of dehydration yet again.

I think the plan I need to go with to avoid hitting the wall again, based on what I’ve read in the past 24 hours are:

1. Keep my pace. When I think about my finish time yesterday, even with walking just a few times, it was faster than I should be doing on a long run. In reading about why people hit the wall, this was probably a decent factor. Recall last week when I ran 21 miles, I did a real slow pace, and I finished … even though it was still warm. This was mistake number 1.

2. Stay hydrated. I have to do whatever I have to in order to stay hydrated. I always take my 28oz water bottle with me, which does the trick for the first half of the run, but I always wait too long to start looking for a vending machine, which almost failed me again today. I should just get the water, and hold on to it. I should find a way to get some gatorade as well, I haven’t figured that out yet…

3. Stay fueled. I always eat a few fig newtons before my run starts along with a cup of coffee, and I take a PowerBar gel with me for each long run, but it just may not be enough. I’m not sure my system can take too much more calories during a run, but we’ll have to try I guess.

The big factor yesterday was the fact I couldn’t get water, so I got a sugar filled pink lemonade. The dose of sugar I took in just threw off my metabolism as my insulin level went through the roof .. my body just couldn’t regulate itself again (and I didn’t have enough water to help bring it down).

So we’ll use this new found logic as we head out next weekend into the heat in the hopes of fighting off the wall. I have to get up earlier to, and just do it unlike yesterday where I rolled over and went back to sleep…