04/13/2025 Training Log – Sweet Miles & Steady Smiles

Fueling Long Runs with Dates

Today’s Plan

Workout Plan:
Long Run (100–110 minutes)

• Goal: Zone 2 heart rate (under 142 bpm)
• Practice race-day fueling strategy

Fueling Plan:

• Pre-run Breakfast (1 hour before):
  2 slices white bread + 1 tbsp orange marmalade + ~1 tsp honey
  
• ~30 minutes before: Maurten Solid 160
  
• During Run: 2 dates every 22 minutes (total ~15 dates)
  • ~405 calories / ~101g carbs ≈ 236 cal/hour
    
• Hydration: 500ml water + Nuun tab

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Training Plan designed by MoTTIV.

Execution & Reflections:

This morning’s long run kicked off at 7:30 a.m. sharp, under a crisp blue sky and early spring chill. Temp was 1°C (feels like -1°C) with a light NW breeze—near perfect running conditions.

Despite a rusty start, I was confident that my decision to rest on Saturday paid off. My fueling game was on point: dates spaced every 22 minutes kept me steady, and my pre-run breakfast and hydration plan gave me the foundation I needed. Instead of Drum Buddy, I ran with lyrical music to test my ability to hold Zone 2 naturally—and I nailed it.

To structure the run, I broke the 110 minutes into 5 x 22-minute blocks, then tacked on 5 x 15-second strides to finish strong. I took occasional walk breaks to manage heart rate on inclines and broken paths.

💪 No bonk, no fade, no calf issues. A strong effort from start to finish.

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Takeaways:

• ✅ Fueling: Dates were tasty, easy to digest, and right on target for my caloric needs.
• ✅ Effort: Consistent, controlled, and in line with Zone 2 goals.
• ✅ Pacing: Walk breaks helped me maintain aerobic discipline.
• ✅ Gear: Perfectly layered. No overheating, no regrets.
• ✅ Post-run: Smooth recovery, starting with some requisite video for IG, stretch and refueling.

Rating: A+. This was a long run that reminded me why I love this process.