Equinox24

Those who know me will wonder why I entered this when I have said I don't like off road and certainly not in the dark!  In preparation for my next 24 hour race I needed a long race as I can only manage 40 miles on my own in training.  I was going to do ladybower50 this weekend then thought I could enter Equinox24 and stop when I have done enough.  This option would be more fun as there are more entries (including 3 teams from my club) and as it is laps you get to see others a lot.  Lady bower requires navigation which I am not very good at.

With the race starting at noon and proper dark setting in just after 7.30 I knew that the best i could hope for was 7 full laps in daylight (10km per lap) if the course was not too tricky.  I did not want to risk injury by running off-road and falling over in the dark so would see what the course was like before deciding whether i would risk a dark lap to make 50 miles.  A number of people had said that I would get to 50 miles and not stop as I would be winning!! Well I didn't take my Garmin charger so couldn't keep going for 24 hours as I can't run without my Garmin!! 

I arrived around 10am and set up my tent, I was on my own (normally phil comes to crew) so had to make sure everything was organised.  Although I wasn't  racing I wanted to minimise faffing time between laps as the more I faffed the more I would have to run in the dark.  There was a massive field with loads of space so my tent was not far from the course, i put a couple of bottles right on the edge so that I could just grab them without going to my tent for a couple of lap. 

 I was wearing an inov8 waist pack as I wanted to carry a waterproof, bars and water.  I recently bought this pack as I wanted something with a bit more space to carry things.  The space is good and it is comfortable but I did end up with a lot of chaffing and I still prefer my raidlight one but that is smaller.  I wore skechers Gorun ultra shoes which were perfect for this course giving grip on the grass and plenty of cushion for the Tarmac.

As this was a training run I had not tapered.  I had done normal training in the week but just dropped one of my Friday runs so I had more time for packing / making flapjack!  The idea was to do this run on tired legs as I will be running a large amount of my 24 hour race on tired legs so this would be good practice.  I was not going to run hard either just easy effort and within myself as I didnt want to be suffering too much after and then waste a weeks training by having to recover - another reason for not continuing beyond 50 miles.

Although the course had more off road than I would have liked it was nice the way there were little loops and switchbacks so you often saw people ahead/behind you.  I knew there was a long hill but was expecting it to be more gradual so after the first lap I walked up - it stated just after the 3km marker and ended just before the 4km marker.  I used this as a time to take on food - this meant that on some laps I grabbed a packet of crisps and had to carry them for 3km before opening!! Bars were easy to put in my waist pack.  The hill was tarmac which I felt was a bit of a waste of nice Tarmac.  After the 4km marker there was a little uphill which I ran.  

At 5km there was a water station and toilet then we turned onto some grass.  As a tarmac lover I found the grassy sections hard work as it was not nice and smooth like on grass track but very bumpy underneath so I kept rolling over on my ankle and was slowed down a lot.  To say I was grumpy on that first lap was an understatement; I kept longing to be back on Tarmac! At around 6km there was a really nasty uphill on grass which was new this year, I walked that part as well but otherwise I ran everything else.  At 9km we come back to the field and do a lap round the outside.  That part was nice from the point of view of getting support but was very uneven and I managed to fall over on the first lap.  My running club had 3 teams and a massive tent so I got loads of support each time I ran past their tent which was great.

After finishing the first lap slowly and finding it harder than expected I was trying to think of an excuse to stop but couldn't find one.  My achilles were hurting (I think from all the twisting) but not enough to stop and my glute was sore.  I adjusted my goals thinking there was no way I could do 8 laps and that 7 laps in daylight was going to be ambitious.  Having now seen the course I was not confident about running it in the dark so was thinking maybe I would do 6 laps then some more in the morning to make it worth the trip! The original plan had been to do 2 laps to make it 100km for the weekend and just over 100 miles for the week ( had already done 45 miles in the week).

The second lap seemed a whole lot better, perhaps because I knew what to expect and by the end of the third lap i was feeling OK and starting to enjoy it a bit more.  I wasn't taking a great deal of notice of my lap times but knew I was slowing down gradually (as I would expect) from looking at my average pace on the Garmin.  After the first couple of laps where I just grabbed a bottle I was stopping at my tent to pick up food/ new bottle or to drink a bottle of coke (didn't want to carry it with me) and have a chat with support crew of a runnner camping near me so I think a lot of my slowing was due to stopping rather than running slower. 

I was quite surprised to compete 5 laps in around 5 hours as I thought I was well over.  I realised that as long as I didn't dilly dally i could easily get two more daylight laps in then would probably only need the headtorch for the second half of the last lap as a lot of the first half was tarmac.  

The next few laps were fairly uneventful, I was pleased that I was soon going to be finishing although I felt I could have done more there was no need.  I must have been going reasonably well as when I was going through the start/ finish on my last few laps I heard a few comment to others in a surprised way that I was a solo runner - by this stage a lot of the solos had slowed down and were walking a lot. 

Picked up my headtorch for lap 8 but delayed using it as long as possible.  I put it on briefly on the tarmac uphill when there were potholes but then didn't put it on permanently until we turned off the tarmac at the water station at 5km.  I did not like this last 5km.  I have a good headtorch but was scared of twisting my ankle so was running very slowly, would probably have been better off walking!! There was a brief Tarmac bit whcih I enjoyed before getting to the field for the last km.  in the dark this seemed to go on forever.  Because I had fallen over on this bit I was being super careful.  Finished lap 8 (80km/50miles) in 8.13, the last lap took around 1.10 due to being slow off road in the dark!

I signed out then thought I would check my position.  I was quite surprised to be 4th overall and 1st lady.  After I showered I got a jacket potato then went to the Barrow runners tent for a while.  I was asked if I was tempted to go back out so that I could win but I had no interest in going around in the dark.

Didn't get much sleep in my tent as there was too much talking going on nearby and I couldn't get comfortable.  Got up about 7 for the tiolet and a hot chocolate /9bar breakfast bar/banana then went back to bed and managed to sleep a bit waking up around 9am feeling a bit better.  I still didn't really want to go out but my tent was wet so I couldn't pack up and go home. Shortly after 10 i set off for a couple more laps in the hope that my tent would be dry by the time I was finished.  It was now nice and sunny.

I felt a bit of a fraud as all the relay runners were clapping me and saying well done (my number had solo on it) but I had just had a 14 hour break so was didn't feel I was deserving of all the praise.  Called at my tent after the first lap for some food and a new bottle then it was just a lap to go which was over quite quickly.  The last 2 laps took 2.05 so were probably at a similar pace to my last lap before dark.  My quads were quite sore and my glute was not happy (that had been complained for most of saturday too) but otherwise everything else was OK.

So job done, I did what I set out to do which was 80km saturday 20km Sunday (total time 10.18). I am not really an off road runner so was happy with that.

 This is a really good event, very well organised and great atmosphere.  It was possible to arrive on Friday night and camp so when I arrived Saturday registration was quick.  We got a Glo in the dark T shirt and wrist band when we registered and a medal at the end.  There was loads of space to camp and park the car by the tent whcih was handy as I tend to pack a lot.  Toilets were proper ones without too many queues and showers were warm.  They had some trade stalls including skechers the headline sponsor, a bouncy castle and food stalls.  The prices seemed quite reasonable too -£3.50 for my jacket potato.  I would defiantly recommend this event if you are looking for a 24 hour race or an alternative to thunder run. 

Boston 12 hour race

It's been a while since my last running blog because the problem foot which forced me to walk the last several hours of the 24 hour race was damage to some ligaments.  Ice, rest and shock wave therapy at the Physio meant I was running again after 3 very long weeks off.

 

I had a couple of weeks building up them miles then 4 solid weeks of training with a longest run of 36 miles and last long run of 30 miles 10 days out.  My pace has been slower than similar runs leading up to the 24 hour race but not too far off.  As this was not an A race I wasn't going to have a proper taper but did take it easy during the week and have a rest day on Saturday.

The course is a 1 mile loop around a country park, mostly Tarmac with about 200m around a field at the start / end of each lap. There is one small hill; a few shallow inclines; a couple of sharp turns and a lot of dog walkers with dogs off leads which would block the path as it was quite narrow in places.

support crew
 

My goal for the race was not to set any records but to take it steady and finish feeling comfortable/ like I had more left in the the tank.  I wanted it to be a practice for 24 hours so would have walk breaks as I would in a 24 hour race (5 min per hour then 5 min per 45 min using the break to take on food) and treat this as the first 12 hours of a 24 hour run rather than a 12 hour race.  Had I been racing I would have run for as long as possible before walking like I do in 100km races - this usually means running until just over 40 miles then having short walks every few miles.

Having been on school holidays for the last 5 weeks I have been getting up late so a 7.30am start and 6am porridge was a struggle, I felt quite sick after the porridge and it was repeating on my for the first half hour or so!

The first few hours felt a bit of a slog, I think perhaps because for the last month I have been in bed at that time! After about 30 minutes I was needing a wee but wanted to hold on as long as possible as I hadn't had a no 2 pre race so knew I would have to stop for that too.  After about 50minutes I needed both so stopped  (proper toilet).  Next lap I was due to have a walk and some food but as I had just stopped I decided to wait until the following lap for my walk break.

Running a few laps with Kevin early on

I walked for 5 mins and noted where this took me to so that on future walk breaks I would just start walking at the same point rather than timing it.  Unfortunately I had to start running again just before the hill!  On my 4 hours break I was drinking a bottle of coke so needed bit longer to get it down and let it settle before running so walked to the top of the hill.  From then I always started my walk at the top of the hill so that was probably about 6mins walk. 

Although I was running at an easy pace I just didn't feel like things were flowing well; I felt quite sluggish and was seriously thinking about stopping after 6 hours (there was also a 6 hour race).  I was gradually slowing down and thought at this rate the last 4 hours were going to be a death march and what was the point in that, I would be better off stopping at 6 hours, bagging a decent distance long run and recovering more quickly.

I think that the problem with long ultras is that when we look at the whole picture it just feels too big. I had done 3 hours and was thinking I have to do that 3 more times this is too big.  Once I got to over 6 hours I felt a whole lot better.  I had covered more miles so would have been more tired yet I felt better which just goes to show how much of running is mental.  Knowing I was past half way was a big boost.  39 laps covered in 6 hours.  I suddenly needed the toilet again and couldn't wait for the proper one.  I found a discrete spot then remembered that when squatting after 40 odd miles some kind of support is needed to hold to stop wobbling over and then to help you up!!



a brief run with Sunny



After around 7 hours my left hip flexor started to get really sore.  I started thinking that if it didn't get any better I would stop at 50 miles, that was a respectable distance, the race was not worth risking long term injury/time out for.  After a few laps of quite bad pain I stopped to do some supported squats with Phil.  This tends to help stretch/loosen off some tightness.  I got a few funny looks and questions but it was worth it as it did ease off a lot.

Next issue was my left glute suddenly tightened up, almost going into spasm then my left quad and knee.  This was really bad, a bit like sciatica.  After a lap all those issues totally disappeared!  I had no pains so no excuse to stop early now!!

I was now feeling OK and just ticking off the miles.  I was ahead of target and although getting a bit slower the fade off was not that bad.  Each walk break I was having some food and often something else between walk breaks.  I was drinking regularly too as I was quite thirsty (it was a warm day); at times I would have liked to drink more but I had fluids sloshing in my stomach and stich a few times.

I was still having walks approximately every hour as I was ahead of schedule so decided to treat myself with a few more walks. I worked out that if I walked at 9.45 then every 45 mins that would give me one extra walk break for the rest of the race and having the break a bit sooner broke things down into smaller segments.  I would always start my walk at the start/finish area so the 45 mins was approximate. 

support on the course - thanks for the cold coke

With about 3 hours to go I got a really desperate urge for another no2, this was not good, it couldn't wait until I got to the proper toilet.  At least this time I found something to hold on to to help me up again!

Its with a few hours to go that I start thinking about my position.   There was one lady (Sunny) ahead of me by almost a lap.  We had spoken earlier as with my walks she would often pass me (to lap me) then I would run and catch back and pass her (but she was always a lap ahead).  She said she was getting tired and would walk the last couple of hours.  Although today was not about winning its hard not to think about it when you are close.  However the priority was to have a good solid run and restore my confidence following the 24 hour race. 

I could have picked the pace up/reduced the walk breaks but I wasn't that bothered and kind of hoped she would come back to me without me needing to do any extra work (she had said she was tired).  With about an hour to go Sunny was still going strong so I gave up any thoughts of catching as although she was coming back to me it was not enough for me to catch her with out picking up the pace which I didn't want to do.

My last walk had been 10.50.  I wondered if I could go for the rest of the race without a walk and thought no, there is no need to deny myself the last walk as looking at the time I would hopefully make a nice round 75 laps so what was the point in soldiering on when I could have a little walk! My last walk was on the 3rd last lap.   As I was finishing that lap the race director said 'just one more lap' I said I should have time to do two, he said we will see when you finish this lap. 

What happens is that when they think you don't have enough time to do another full mile lap you have to go round and round a grass track which is about 150m and very tedious!! I really didn't want to be running around this track any longer than I had to so I put my foot down for the next lap so that the RD would let me go out for a final lap.  I was surprised at how I was able to pick up the pace so much finishing that lap in well under 9 mins.  I was then allowed 1 more lap so I kept up the faster pace and did that one in well under 9 mins too!

I now had just over 6mins to go round this track so moved up to the final gear and was able to run around at 7mm pace!!  I finished on 75miles and one thousand and something metres.  I was 400m behind Sunny who was 1st lady and outright winner.  The next person was over 10 miles behind!!

Could I have won??  Phil says I shouldn't have had that last walk break as I lost time on that lap but I say if I hadn't had that walk break would I have been able to pick the pace up as much?? I wonder if I had picked up the pace with 3 laps to go and not had the walk break would I have been able to keep it up? I don't know, possibly, that would have been enough to gain those 400m BUT if I had caught up Sunny would she have found that little bit extra and put up a fight?

medal presentation

Its hard to know how much you have left, the race was not about winning, the only reason I picked up the pace at the end was so that I could avoid going around the small grass track for ages.  It was nice to know that I did still have something left and I do wonder if I should, with about an hour to go just thrown everything at it to see what I could have done .  BUT if I had done that I might have finished myself off before the finish and then been crawling.  The aim of the race was to finish strong which is what I did.  I may have left something out there but at this point in time, for me, that is better then finishing with a crawl even if it meant I did a mile less than I could have done.

Looking at my splits for how far I ran each hour. The first hour was the fastest then the next joint fastest were the 2nd and last hour (the first hour didn't have a walk break in it)

Am I happy with my race and how I ran? Yes I am, the distance I achieved is nothing spectacular - my 12 hour split in a 24 hour race was 74.5 miles so it was only a mile further than in a longer race but I wasn't properly tapered and have had an injury recently and the course was harder with dog walkers in the way so I am pleased with the final result.  Sitting here now part of me thinks I should have raced in the last hour rather than plodding along until 25mins to go but I am saying this knowing that I did had something left.  I was good to know that even though I was fading gradually throughout the race with a bit of extra effort I could pick it up quite a lot.

Fluids consumed

High5 zero with caffeine
SIS / powerbar electrolyte drinks
Water

 

Calories consumed

3 x 9bars
2x powerbar protein bars
3 x bananas
Scampi and lemon nik naks
3 Jaffa cakes
1 funsize crunchie
approx. 1 litre coke
3 x 250ml cartons choc soya milk.

Shoes

Skechers Gorun ultra - I normally wear the lighter gorun ride for ultras but have been having a bit of trouble with my Achilles so decided to go with the more cushioned and high heel drop (8mm compared to 4mm) of the ultras which was a good decision as my Achilles was more or less OK.

Running for 24 hours

I often get asked for tips so with HOTH coming up next weekend and Equinox not far away thought I would get around to writing this blog post I have been drafting for ages.  I have done 5 x 24 hour races with my best distance being 132miles/213km at Basel.  All my races have been on a 400m track or 1km loop so I have not needed to carry anything. 

Before the race 

1. Plan your race schedule several months in advance; try to do a longer ultra - I like to do between 50 miles and 12 hours a couple of months before if possible.  Long runs in events are often easier than on your own so make use of local races.

2.  The long run is the most important.  Everyone is different in what they do; I like to do a few 40 mile training runs and some back to back weekends eg 30 miles Saturday 20 miles Sunday (races are handy for this) as training on tired legs is good for getting used to how the race will feel.

3.  The long runs are not just for getting in the miles but also for testing kit/ shoes.  Think about how you will be carrying things (if you need to carry anything) and test the backpack/ waistpack / water bottle to make sure you are comfortable with it.  Consider the terrain then decide which sort of shoes you need.  I usually test my shoes on a few long runs then put them away until the race so I know they still have plenty of cushion.  They will be the shoes I start with but I tend to take a couple of spares in case of rain/ blisters.  I have used Skechers Gorunride for my last few races.

4.  Try lots of different food/ drink.  Whilst you might know what you like and what works for a marathon, at 3am you might not fancy it but might not want to risk something new so try lots of things to make sure they don't upset you.  After experimenting I have found I can't have dried fruit; oats or anything with a lot of dairy so that rules a lot of race foods out.  I would never eat crisps in a marathon but in 24 hour races I get through lots.

5.  I do laps for my long training runs and set up a 'checkpoint' at home with lots of nice foods so I can have something nice to look forward to and don't have to carry too much.  There is the temptation to stop when you end a loop but I have never done that yet.
 

6. Training on tired legs doesn't mean you have to do hundreds of miles.  A way of doing this is to run to the gym, batter your legs in a body pump or spin class then run home.  This is quite hard to begin with but gets easier.  

7.  It is likely you will be walking quite a lot.  Some people walk very fast; if you are slow like me you could do some walk training to get faster and gain a few extra km over the 24 hours. 

8. Multi task on runs! A lot of people say they don't have time to do many miles so run to jobs eg run to the bank / town do shopping and run home.  Or if you have kids and need to drop them off for something and pick them up a hour or so later instead of going home stay there and go for a run.

9.  Hills/ speed / core - all of these will make you stronger but they tend to get neglected.

The race

1.  Only the elites run the whole lot.  Unless you are experienced then you are better to start your walks early on as that will delay the fatigue and the time before you get to the point where you can't run any more.  I walk 5 mins per hour ( use this time to take on solid food) for about 4 hours then drop to 5 min every 45 minutes as I am then needing to eat more often and feel the need for a break sooner.  I will keep this going as long as possible then drop to a walk every half hour and so on.  If you are new then 25/5 is quite popular or if the course is hilly walk the hills but in an approx ratio of 25 mins run 5 mins walk.

2.   Number belt - as you will probably be changing or adding layers a number belt (or some elastic) is a good idea.
 

number belt made from elastic

3. Getting the food/ drink / electrolytes right has been my biggest challenge.  For my first one I took on board advise to eat regularly and ate too much so then it was just sitting in my stomach not absorbing and making me feel sick.  During another race it was not taking on enough electrolytes so my body was not able to properly absorb my food and again I felt sick.  Everyone is different but out bodies can only absorb a certain amount per hour (200-300 calories on average) so any extra is just going to sit there, be of no use and maybe make you feel sick.  Similar with fluid.  If you drink too much it will slosh in your stomach.  These are things to try out in training but what works in a marathon will not necessary work for longer races eg in a marathon I might drink about 500ml and have a couple of gels; if I do that for the first 26 miles of a 24 hour race whilst I might be OK up to that point beyond about 30 miles I think I would suffer for dehydration and not having enough fuel. This is why longer races are useful.  

4. Struggling to eat.  There is likely to come a time when you really do not want to eat.  Either you feel sick or you are just bored with eating.  But your body needs the fuel if you want to keep going.  This is where things which don't require chewing come in.  I have found chocolate soya milk is really good -it goes down easily and has a good amount of protein.  Pouches of baby food/ fruit puree are also easy to eat as are gels (it's best to save the gels until later in the race as if you have had them early on you might be sick of them). A lot of people have rice pudding but I can't have that much diary.  Marzipan melts in the mouth and you can just have a small amount at a time.   Sweets are also good (my favourite are coconut mushrooms).  When I was struggling with food I was able to get one down every few laps which isn't much but better than nothing.  Finally, when feeling rough and sorry for yourself and not able to get in foot hot chocolate is comforting!

vegan bars made of seeds so slow energy

5.  Variety - another food/ drink point! I always take far more food than I will need as I never know what I will fancy.  I rarely have gels in ultras but in a recent 100km had 2 and would have had more if I had brought them.  When it's hot I eat more crisps/savory.  It's best to take more than you will need and have a choice.  I tend to start off alternating with 9bars; powerbar protein bars; bananas.  I keep that up for as long as possible (usually around 35-40 miles) as these foods have good nutritional value.  Some events will offer a hot meal of pasta or rice which I have.  I then start to feel the need for more treat type foods or variety so will have Jaffa cakes; funsize crunchie/bounty; crisps; chocolate soya milk with the occasional 9bar or banana.  Then when I find food hard it will be the baby food, even more choc soya milk, sports drinks and sweets/marzipan.  Often the aid station will have cake/ biscuits/ pretzels/ ritz crackers so I will have those sometimes.  

'Traviss box'

6.  It can get cold.  Even if the forecast is good and doesn't look cold as you slow down your body will struggle to keep you warm.  My first one was in May, there was a thermometer so I could see the temperature.  At night I put a jacket on and come morning despite it being 20 degrees I was not warm enough to take it off.  This is not always the case.  In my last race I wore a vest throughout with no jacket / long sleeve needed even thought I had slowed a lot.  So take plenty of clothes.  

7. Be organised.  A lot of time can be wasted finding jacket/ clean t shirt etc as whatever you need is bound to be at the bottom of your bag.  If you are able to pitch a tent then have things laid out or at least in several bags like all tops together etc.  For my bits and bobs (first aid, wet wipes, etc) I have found a 'Traviss box' really good for keeping organised and finding them quickly. http://www.amazon.co.uk/Stanley-197483-Stackable-Sortmaster-Organiser/dp/B003PZHYLK/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1407509554&sr=8-2&keywords=stanley+sortmaster+toolbox 
Filling up bottles can take time so if possible have lots ready filled.

 

8.  Targets.  These are good to keep you motivated but you need to be flexible and have higher/ lower goals too in case things are going better/ worse than expected.  For my first one I had 100 miles as my goal.  When I got to 90 miles with enough to finish even if I crawled I sat down and cried as I was overcome with emotion and so tired.  I eventually got up and dilly dallied around for a few more laps (1km laps) then had another sit down and another.  I was going to hit my target so didn't really make any effort.  When I got to 100 miles I stopped even though I had several hours left.  I was fine with that at the time but a few days later regretted it and thought what if I hadn't sat down, hadn't wasted time in the last 10 miles and had used the whole 24 hours????  I should have had another higher target such as 105 miles (4 marathons) then 110 miles .  Similarly, if things are not going so well it is easy to give up and just walk / sit down for long rests so lower targets are needed to keep you motivated and moving purposefully.

9. Get a decent head torch.  If your run is off road then it is worth spending the money on a good headtorch (and spare batteries).  I have this one, you can alter the brightness so have it really bright on the darker parts.   The higher the lumens the brighter the light 
http://www.uktoolcentre.co.uk/Shop/p~81525~SEO7~R-Rechargeable-Head-Torch.html?Refid=GoogleShopping&gclid=Cj0KEQjw6pGfBRD09M-TmYTBzqIBEiQAcRzH5yrcJEHTUyIcUAXfy7YqNpKNM6dftMzTbVkKKKN4qMIaAmL28P8HAQ

10.  Its going to hurt but company of others can help.  In my last race I got injured; running hurt too much so I walked a lot.  Time passed so much quicker walking and chatting with others, there were so many amazing people doing my last race it was great to chat to them.

11. Drugs etc.  

Ibuprofen - if you are thinking of taking this make sure you read up on the risks of taking it whilst running before you do.  Voltorol/ibuprofen gel might be a better option.

Immodium - this is essential!

caffeine - I usually have coke, sometimes pro plus tablets. I cut my caffeine right back for the week before the race so that it has more effect and try to wait as long as possible before having it

Ginger - this is an anti inflammatory and is supposed to help with nausea.  I took tablets during my last race; it was the first time I didn't have any stomach issues.  

Tumeric - another anti inflammatory which I took before the race

Electrolytes - these can be in the form of tablets such as high5 zero which you add to drinks or as tablets.  

 

Gloucester 24 hour race

After the World 24 hour Championships in Pilzen were cancelled this was the obvious choice being just one week earlier, on a 400m track and just 2 hours from home.

I cut back more than usual on training in the final 2 weeks so my legs were feeling nicely rested but my body less so due to struggling with sleep as it had been quite warm at night.  Caffeine cut began 5 days before (I forgot to start sooner) and I tried to be good with my diet (still room for improvement there).

As usual Phil was crewing for me but since he has to drive home afterwards and is not safe driving on no sleep (I have been in the car with him driving back from the airport and had to take over) he was going to a hotel to sleep.  I was going to be unsupported overnight which is OK (not ideal) as I did my PB at Basel that way (Phil made up lots of bottles before he went and put out food I might want).  However, a few days before another runner had to drop out, her support, Tim had already booked his train ticket so was now going to come and crew for me.  This was great as I had 2 crew support in the day and 1 at night and the obligatory cuddly toy throughout!


I always set off too fast in 24 hour races because my legs are raring to go after the rest! This time I had my hour by hour pace plan which had me starting quite a lot slower than normal.  The aim was to be a few miles behind my last couple of 24 hour races at 6 hours but then by 12 hours be around the same as my last two and hope that because I got to 12 hours with more conservative pacing I would then find the second 12 hours more comfortable and have a slightly smaller fade therefore completing a little bit extra distance.

The start of the race was 12noon, it was very hot so I was wearing vest rather than my usual T shirt.  My first lap was far too fast; over the next few laps I gradually slowed myself down so that it was not long before I was going at a pace which felt comfortable and was about target pace.

Normally I don't drink much if anything in the first hour otherwise I seem to be constantly going to the toilet but after my issues in the 100km which I think were fuel or hydration related this time was different, the priority was to stay hydrated even if it meant more visits than usual.  We had portaloos trackside so I would not lose too much time.  After a while I figured I could save time by getting Phil to wait outside then go in and flush it for me as flushing these things takes time and strength!!

I started with my usual 5 mins walk on the hour to take on food with a view to doing this for 4-6 hour then dropping to 40/5 as I need food more often later on.  I have never been so glad to get to my first walk break as it was so hot.  By the time it was over I felt as if I had just about got my body temperature to a reasonable level so the next few laps running were not too bad but then I became overheated.  Tim had brought bottles of ice water which was great to pour over my head.  I tried wearing my buff round my neck soaked in water which helped a little then I wore it on my head and poured water over it but really nothing was helping for any length of time. 

About 3 hours in I felt so over heated and was seriously doubting if I would finish the race.  My legs were happy with the pace but I just felt so uncomfortable running in such heat. Because I had a more conservative schedule than normal I was on target up to 4 hours.   I was doing a good job of getting food (9bars, powerbars and bananas) and fluids (water and powerbar electrolyte) - my crew were filling in a spreadsheet to keep track.  I was drinking up to the point where liquid was just starting to slosh about so I knew I couldn't take on any more. 

After 6 hours it was starting to cool down a bit but in the last 2 hours I had managed to get 1 mile behind target.  I didn't let it bother me thinking that as long as I didn't get further behind there was still a chance of a good outcome especially now it was cooling down a bit - it was still warm though, infact even overnight it stayed warm enough such that I ran in my vest throughout, no need for extra clothes.

My quads were now starting to ache a bit, they have never hurt this early on in a 24 hour race.  I was wearing Gorunride3 which is a newer model with the same cushioning as the ones I wore on the track at Tooting.  I wondered if the track was perhaps more firm but when I mentioned it to others they didn't have the same problem so it must have been something to do with me.  Post race I have been trying to work out what I have done differently 1.  When I got my knee injury in October I stopped doing body pump (which has weighted squats and lunges in so works the quads) and spin so my quads are not being challenged as much and 2.  Normally I wear long compression shorts but as it was hot I wanted something shorter and the compression shorts take longer when going to the toilet as you have to squeeze yourself into them. 

At 7pm jacket potato and beans were provided.  I had been looking forward to this.  Phil had instructions to scoop the potato out the skin and for me as I didn't want to be dealing with hard skin from a time point of view but also thought my body might find it hard to process the skin. By the time I got the food I didn't really fancy it so ate what I could walking a lap of the track then disposed of it.

Until 10pm I had been consuming mostly good quality calories - 9bars, powerbars, chocolate soya milk and bananas.  Now it was time for some junk as I sometimes felt I needed the calories quickly so started on the funsize crunchies.  I had quite a few of these and several packets of crisps over the next few hours. 

I hit 100km in 10.29.  I was gradually getting further behind but apart from my quads was feeling a lot better than when it was hot so was still positive I would do OK- no PB but at least there was hope of hitting 200km.

Just before Phil went to bed it was time to do squats! Yes in the middle of a 24 hour race I stop to do squats; about 10 at a time.  They are amazing and help stretch things out.  They are done supported with Phil behind me holding under my arms.  Normally squats mid race are not especially pleasant but these hurt a lot and some very bad language came out of my mouth.  The squats were repeated a couple more times in the morning when Phil got back and hurt more each time but they I did feel I was getting a decent stretch through my quads.

After around 14 hours the bottom of my feet were tired/sore/burning.  In addition the left hand side of my left foot was feeling uncomfortable, like it wanted to expand but the shoe was stopping it.  I changed into my more cushioned Gorun ultra hoping these would also help with my quads which were quite sore now despite putting voltoral on them.

The bottom of my feet felt better with more cushioning and the quad did a little but straight away the shoes didn't feel right.  The arch support seemed wrong and was digging into me.  I put up with them for about an hour as I thought they might get better and they were helping some issues but then changed back.  I have worn these shoes for a couple of 40 mile training runs and lots of other runs so I can only assume that my feet must have expanded so much that they were not happy in the new shoes.

I felt better once I had my Gorunride3 back -I love those shoes.

http://helenrunsultras.blogspot.co.uk/2014/03/skechers-gorunride3-review.html
However, things were still not right with the foot and my quads were still hurting so I tried taking some Ibuprofen - normally I will  just take it for last few hours but I was hurting more than I have done before.  This seemed to help for a couple of hours but my pace was so slow now that it almost felt pointless running.  My 40mins run 5mins walk had gone out the window some time ago, I was now just running a bit walking a bit but running more than walking.  I was aware of how slow I was walking when others passed me walking, I really need to work on that more as if I walked as fast as Vicky I am sure I could have covered another 5-10miles!

At this point I should talk about the other competitors.  It think there were 38 starters.  The nice thing about track ultras is you get to see everyone a lot. Even if you don't run with others there is still a bit of chat as you lap or are lapped which makes them really friendly events.  Most runners had support crews some more involved than others.  Mine were brilliant.  Tim was really good at getting my exact distance at the end of each hour from the chip timing people and telling me if I was ahead or behind as well as giving me the ice water which, if you are doing a hot water and have access to ice is amazing.  Phil was keeping track of my food and drink and getting things ready for the next lap when I shouted;  he also kept disappearing into the tent to play his racing game on his ipad as there was some extra points challenge going on at the weekend! Having a crew makes a big difference as they can get your food/drink/change of clothes sorted without you needing to stop to find things.  They are also good for encouragement and for suggesting things when the brain is not working properly!

Back to the race.  I know you are meant to wait 4 hours before the next lot of Ibu but I needed more so held out for 3.5 hours.  Every step I ran really hurt my quads, my foot hurt too but less so; I was worried about the foot though as it felt a bit like plantar faciistus so I was worried running was making it worse. 



enjoying a walk and hot chocolate

Around 9am I decided to try a massage on my quads, I had not been running much for the last few hours and was not going to get a distance I was happy with so thought I might as well stop for 10 mins to see if it helped.  It was nice to have a lie down and take the weight off my feet but unfortunately it didn't help, if anything my quads just hurt more.  So that is a useful lesson learnt! I have stopped in races before for tight glutes but that is when something has needed releasing so massage does help.  I think there was just so much muscle damage in my quads that nothing other than morphine was going to help.

The last few hours of the race seemed to go on forever.  I mostly walked which meant I fell into step with others more often and had some quite nice chats.  Walking didn't hurt, walking was easy, I could have carried on walking much longer but I just wanted this whole thing to be over now. 

Near the end they give you a beanbag with your number on and suggest that someone runs with you to drop it when the horn goes off so Phil came with me.  He had been trying earlier to get me to run when I didn't want to/it hurt too much so I was determined to be running at the end of the race and to make him work to keep up.  So with a few minutes to go I gritted my teeth, eased into a jog and then what felt like a sprint.  I am quite sure that he had to work hard to keep up with my sprint or maybe he was pretending to make me feel better!!

I have never been so pleased for the end of a race.  As is always the case I finished the furthest distance away from my tent so had to walk back there then I just lay down on the track with my feet up on the deckchair and a swab in my mouth for some saliva testing that I am doing.  I could quite happily have fallen asleep  but  knew I needed to shower and that was going to take some time.

Final result was 114 miles - my best is 132 so that is quite disappointing.  I was 1st lady though so have to be pleased with that.

Other positives were that I felt I got my hydration/nutrition right.  I was taking ginger and electrolyte tablets which I have not had before and was drinking more chocolate soya milk.  I didn't feel sick like I normally do (ginger is meant to help with that) and although I got to a point where I wasn't interested in food and needed to be reminded to eat occasionally I never felt like it was a struggle to get it down it was more that I was just bored of constantly eating!

I think that the early hot hours drained me of a lot of energy so that when it cooled down I couldn't keep pace.  My quads being so sore each time I put my foot down made running hard and the foot just added to this. 

Going forward I cant do anything about the weather.  I do wonder if perhaps I should have walked a lot in the first 4-6 hours to keep my core temperature down and minimise fatigue so that when it cooled down I could pick it up. 

On the quads, I think they need to be my focus in the gym.  I will get back to body pump or at least do weighted squats and wear my compression shorts even though they are harder work when going to the toilet!

With the foot, the new Gorunride3 are narrower than the original - Phil brought some fancy digital measuring devise home from work and measured various parts of the shoes.  My toes were fine, I had no blisters, it was more the side of my foot which I felt was restricted by the side of the shoe.  Mr Skecher has kindly managed to source some of the older model of the Gorunrde so hopefully the foot will be fine next time.

I have now done 5 of these 24 hour races and each one has been a learning experience and useful for the next one.

9bar Indulge bar review

On Monday the new Indulge bars were launched. Being a member of Team 9bar I was lucky enough to get a few samples pre launch.

I have been asking for a coconut bar for ages and it has finally happened so I couldn't wait to try it - I was not disappointed.

What are these new bars like?
1. Take a regular 9bar with all the goodness of the seeds
2. Add some coco throughout the bar
3. Add the extra flavour (see below)
4. Finish off with yummy a vegan dark chocolate topping.

For those of you who have not tried 9bars they are mixed seed energy bar.  The seeds mean you get slow release energy and a good amount of protein.  Most varieties are now vegan (some use honey rather than golden syrup so not strictly vegan); wheat and gluten free and some are nut free (see website for more allergy details).

These bars are 40g so a little smaller than the usual 50g bars but I think that is a better size for running with as I find a full bar a bit too much.  Per 100g the calories are about the same as the original bar and protein is a little less at 14.2g (coconut) per 100g which for a snack bar is still a decent amount.

The Taste Test
(in order of preference)

1. Cocoa and Coconut
This is really nice, a lovely chocolaty coconut bar but without the guilt feeling of a bounty bar!

2. Cocoa and Raspberry
I don't actually like raspberries that much but I love this bar, it has freeze-dried raspberries which give it that subtle hint of raspberry which works well with the cocoa.

3.  Cocoa and cashew/ Cocoa and hazelnut
These are about equal, they taste fairly similar to the nutty 9bar but with the added cocoa so that makes theses even nicer.  My husband, who doesn't like 9bars as he doesn't like seeds much didn't like these two, said they were just like the original bars.  However, he loved the other two as the flavours hid the seeds enough for him.

Out of the full 9bar range the Cocoa and Coconut has to be my favourite with the Almond and Raspberry breakfast bar being a close second.  I use 9bars a lot during ultra marathons so it will be nice to have a few more distinct flavours especially for 24 hour races when it is easy to become bored after a few bars.  Unfortunately oats disagree with me when running so I cant use the breakfast bars during runs but I will be taking some of the new bars to my 24 hour race this weekend.

Where can I buy them?
The easiest place is the 9bar website (http://www.9bar.com/shop/category/indulge) where you can buy a mixed box to try all the flavours.  Some tescos stores have the Cocoa and raspberry/cocoa and hazelnut.

Taper time

The timings of my key events has not been good and has meant I have had quite a lot of taper/recovery time all too close together.

I had a mini taper for the London marathon then it was only 3 weeks until the 100km so by the time I was recovered enough from London to train hard it was time to taper for the 100km!

With 6 weeks between the 100km and my 24 hour race I had to skimp on 100km recovery in order to get back up to some sort of decent mileage as it had been a long time since my 100mile weeks!

Following the 100km I had 2 rest days then did low easy paced miles.  At the end of the week I did  the womens running 10km in Birmingham.  This was a 9bar sponsored event; I was the 9bar representative so was interviewed before the race.  I had no expectations of a good time, just wanted to have a nice jog around.  When I lined up at the front and all but about 5 people were standing behind the sub 50 pacer my competitive head appeared (my PB is 39.29).  I set of fairly hard and within a few minutes was in 3rd place.  My legs were struggling to even hit half marathon pace as they were far from recovered.  After about 2km I took the lead and stayed there until the end despite having to stop to re tie my shoe lace!

The pace of the 10km told me I still had some recovering to do so the next week just focused on getting the miles in and didn't bother to do any speed work as for 24 hour races I felt it was more important to get my weekly miles up. 

At the end of the week it was the White Peak marathon which I was using as a training run, I wanted to do a bit more than just jog round so ran at a purposeful type pace rather than my usual long run plodding pace.  It was a very warm day and water was in cups so I walked through the stations and even stopped to fill my bottle - I've not done that for a long time.  Was reasonably happy with 3.38 for the effort level.  Ended the week on 104 miles.

The next week was a bit disrupted with 3 days in Cambridge for examiners meetings which I find more tiring than normal work as they are so intense and there was no time for a lunchtime run! I ran in the evening and managed to get lost.  I knew running would be a bit tricky so front loaded the week.   I attempted my first speed session but it was rubbish so aborted it as there was not point flogging it when I was clearly tired. 

Had big ideas about doing 40 miles on Sunday but it was hot and I was tired.  It was one of those runs where I was just not feeling the love.  Had I not got a bit of OCD with hitting 100 miles for the week I probably would have given up after 10 miles!  I felt I had no energy, it was only after that I twigged I had set off at 1pm having only had breakfast; it was about lunchtime so by 10 miles was well past lunch so no wonder I was weak - I had missed a meal and was trying to run a meal down.  Battled through 30 miles as that is what I needed to hit 100 miles for the week!

Last week was to be my 3rd 100 mile week before tapering.  Whilst I might sometimes appear to be chasing mileage targets I do know when to back off and this week was one of those times as I picked up a glute injury/niggle on Wednesday.  I think it is due to the hill training I have been doing.  Its been slightly grumbly for a week or so then 4 miles into my run it suddenly went almost into spasm.  It was even painful to walk.  Had a stretch then ran home in pain. 

Managed to get an emergency half hour massage treatment (that was all he could spare) on Thursday where lots of elbow work and painful treatment was given.  Had a short test run on Friday and it was a lot better, I still felt something but not the spasm, more just a bit of tenderness from the treatment.

Saturday was the Kent Road Runner marathon which I wanted to run quite hard (as a kind of tempo run for the 24 hour race) but not all out race pace.   The marathon is 17 laps with hills.  Hammering down the hill would not be good for my glute and running uphill would be putting strain on it.  I wasn't even sure I would make it to the end as I had only do a short test run.  I was quite prepared to stop if I was in pain.

I set off quite hard, a bit too fast then after a few laps settled into a more comfortable but still quite hard pace.  I didn't take a great deal of notice of my time as I was more interested in running to effort.  I maintained around the same effort throughout so the pace gradually slowed.  I could have made an effort to maintain the pace but was not prepared to do that with the 24 hour race being 2 weeks away and it was another hot day so I preferred not to push it too much.

Finished in 3.25.56 and 2nd lady.  This was a fair bit slower than my PB but at the end of a hard 3 week block and I wasn't giving it my full effort so am quite pleased with that.  My sister was running her 3rd marathon and managed to get herself a Good for Age so she was happy too.

Quads were a bit sore on Sunday but I managed a couple of runs to take my weekly miles up to 90.

Now its time to wrap myself in cotton wool and taper for the 24 hour race.

National 100km

Thanks to Julian Porter for the picture

This was my first A race of the year.  As it was just 3 weeks after the London marathon by the time I had recovered from London it was time to taper for this so I got to the start feeling like it had been ages since I had done any decent mileage, at least I was well rested.  My last hard sessions was a 10km track race 10 days before where I set a PB of 39.29 (knocking almost 2 mins off my previous best) so I was feeling in good shape.

The course was 48 laps of just over 2km round a cycle park so nice smooth tarmac and a wide course BUT it had a hill.  I knew about the hill so had been doing more hills in training but knew that a few months was never going to be enough compared to others who run hills all the time and have done for years but I did the best I could bearing I mind I get injured if I do too many hills.




A selection of my food/drink there was more of the same in the box

Arrived just after 7am for the 8am start.  We had 3 tables for the England team so loads of space for all my food/drinks - high5; coke; water; 9bars; powerbars; bananas; Jaffa cakes; funsize cruchie; coconut mushrooms and gels.  As always I had far too much but you never know what you want in such long races.  I was wearing Skechers Gorunride 3 but had a pair of ultras to change into incase I felt I needed more cushioning and another pair of Gorunride incase it rained. 



love the personalised number -thanks TZruns

Although I carry a bottle on training runs I prefer not to and since it was only a 2km loop I decided on a new system which I have seen others using - grab drink, have a few mouthfuls, drop bottle, Phil pick up bottle to reuse.  I had about 10 bottles so there was no need for him to pick up that often.  We agreed beforehand where I would drop my bottle.  This was mistake number one as the place we agreed was not far enough away for me to drink very much.  In hindsight I should have just dropped it later and told Phil as I was running past him but its hard to have a conversation when running.

Set off at what felt like a comfortable pace but the garmin was saying too fast.  I find pacing hard on hilly courses as some miles will be faster and could cause panic but shouldn't if it has down in.  Other miles will be slower if they have uphill and so could also cause panic.  Mistake number2.  Rather than looking at my mile splits I should have been looking at laps and worked out in advance what I should have been doing.

Thanks Julian Porter for the photo

When I have tapered my legs are a bit too fresh and I have a tendency to start too fast.  The same happened last year, I just gradually slowed down.  No wall hit or anything just slowed at a fairly gradual rate so I was not too concerned by the odd faster mile.   However, in reality it wasn't just the downhill parts that were too fast the uphill ones were too.  Mistake number 3.  I was running with other people  so was not taking that much notice of my mile splits.  If I had been on my own I would have been focusing more on my splits and realised that the uphills were too fast as well and possibly have taken that as a warning to slow down.

Whilst it was nice running with others and having a bit of a chat I was quite relieved (in more ways than one!) when I needed to stop for the toilet as then I was able to run on my own and focus a bit more on food/drink/pace.  I am not used to running with others in races (apart from the off road navigation type) so being on my own meant I could now tune in better to what I was doing. 

I realised that I had probably not eaten enough and now started taking my bottle both laps.  My pace was still good but was slowing a bit, no more than I would expect after the fast start. 

At about 20 miles I suddenly felt really dehydrated, looking at my splits I can see that I started to slow more a couple of miles before.  From 20 miles I decided that in order to get in enough fluid I would just have to carry my bottle for the lap.  After drinking about half fluid was starting to slosh in my stomach so there was no point drinking any more despite feeling really thirsty I would just have to try to catch up gradually.

Now I was on my own I was assessing every so often how I was feeling. Mistake number 4.  I was asking myself how I was feeling on the flats, the effort was feeling about right for the distance when on the flats but in reality something like 1/5 of the lap was uphill where I would have been working harder so really I ought to have taken the flats a bit easier to cancel out the harder effort on the hills.

Thanks Julian Porter for the photo

Went through marathon distance in 3.38 feeling quite comfortable.  This was about the same as last year so I was pleased with that, if anything I thought the first marathon was more comfortable than last year so that would hopefully mean my fade later would be less.   50km was again a similar time to last year so all good still. 

Then it all started to go a bit wrong.  Somewhere around 35 miles just as I was getting towards the top of the hill each time my foot hit the ground I had shudders going through my body, like vibrations, it was really horrible and a bit scary as I didn't know what was happening.  It lasted less than a minute then went away.  On the 3rd time of it happening it didn't stop when I got to the top of the hill and I also felt really light headed and quite unwell.   I started to walk (my first walk) and saw Walter, the England team manager who was walking the course.  He said to jog to the aid station so I started running again until I got to the bottom of the hill when I really didn't feel I could run it. A lady started walking with me, said I was looking really wobbly then Walter appeared again.  There was no way I could manage over 20 more miles like this.  Decided I would take on some food have a walk and see how I was after a  bit of a break.

Previously I had shouted what I wanted and Phil would have it ready next lap so I never had to stop.  This time I stopped, I was desperate for a gel, gels are not that nice so I must have been in a bad way to be desperate for one! Had the gel, some Jaffa cakes and took a carton of chocolate soya milk to drink whilst walking.  Darren walked with me for a while but must have been fed up with my moaning as he soon left me.  Was dreading having to run again so had a decent length walk then waited until I got to the flatter bit before giving it a go.  Rather surprisingly, once I started running again I felt fine and was back to running more or less the same pace as before.

Obviously by now I had lost a lot of time but at least I now felt I could finish and was feeling quite good again.  I had one more sugar crash, cant remember where but I was fine going past the aid station then all of a sudden I was desperate for a gel again I just needed the sugar now.  Again I stopped at the table as I needed to get something in quick, the rest of my gels were in a box not on the table as I hadn't expected to need them so I grabbed a crunchie, some coconut mushrooms, soya milk and asked for more coconut mushrooms next lap.  After that I ate something small at least alternate laps.

Around 50 miles I had quite a tight spot in my left glute.  It wasn't massively painful but it was annoying me so I stopped for a bit of massage from the team physio (Brian Cole), its amazing how much difference a couple of minutes can make when the phyiso knows what they are doing. 

Apart from the walk I had when I had the wobble I had continued to run the whole time.  With 5 laps to go I decided I would allow myself to walk the hill.  I didn't need to but was tired and having a walk break to look forward to was nice.  Also, since I was no longer chasing a time a few minutes added per lap didn't really matter.

On the last lap I ran the hill and did attempt a sprint finish but it was more a sprint in my head!

Was very happy to get that one done.  My finish time was 9.29.  Last year on an easier course I did 9.11.  I am disappointed  as I was fitter this year and my training suggested I should do better.  Lots of  people got PBs so I cant blame the hill too much although many of those who did PB are more used to hills than I am.  I think that a mostly it was due to the mistakes I talk about above.  I was just not focused enough during the first few hours on pace/food/drink and then it is difficult to rectify that.

9bar breakfast bar - wheat free, gluten free and vegan

9bar have just launched a new breakfast bar range.  I eat the original bars (peanut and fruity are my favourite) during long runs and on ultras as they are easy to digest; the seeds have slow release carbs for a constant energy supply and they have a decent amount of protein to feed the muscles.

I was very excited to receive some samples of the breakfast range. The original 9bars are around 50% seeds/nuts, the breakfast range is around 25% with gluten free oats and soya protein crispies replacing the seeds.  Instead of honey or golden syrup as in the original range rice syrup and agave nectar has been used.

All varieties are wheat and gluten free as well as being vegetarian society approved and vegan.  The photo shows almond and raspberry. 

The texture is a cross between cereal bar and flapjack. All flavours are moist as well as quite chewy but not chewy and hard work like a protein bar.

Full nutritional information on each flavour is here  http://www.9bar.com/shop/category/breakfast the photo shows information for almond & raspberry but in brief they are all similar and have around 230 calories per 50g bar, 9g protein, 2.5 g fibre and 17% RDA calcium although the amounts vary for each flavour.   

For comparison weetabix breakfast bars contain the same calories, half the protein less sugar and fat.  As the main ingredients in these are seeds/gluten free oats they are slower release so keep you full for longer, they are also a lot more filling so don't leave you reaching for another snack an hour later.  

 

My husband is not too keen on 9bars, he says they are 'too healthy' and doesn't like all the seeds.  When I told him about the new bars he was not that interested as he thought it was just going to be another health bar but when he tried them he was pleasantly surprised and loved them too - the seeds were disguised enough for him not to notice!  I think I will need to hide these!

My order of preference is ...

1.  Almond & Raspberry

Wow, these are gorgeous, I didn't think a healthy bar could taste so good -it's like Bakewell tart. I am not that keen on raspberries so initially was dissapointed to see raspberry had been combined with almond (one of my favourite flavours).  However, I was pleasantly surprised - almond is the strongest taste with the raspberry being quite subtle.  I can imagine these being a top seller, I hope wholebake can keep up with demand; my new favorite snack of all time (apart from a chocalate bar!). 

2. Coco & cashew

I am a big chocolate lover so was especially excited about this coco flavour with (vegan) dark chocolate chips it didn't dissapoint. For breakfast sweetness is just right. If you don't like cashews don't be put off as the chocolate flavour hides them yet you still get their goodness.  For an afternoon snack I would like more chocolate chips but that's because I love chocolate.  Having said that they are really nice and a close second.  For a healthy chocolate bar alternative this is as good as it gets without all the fat and sugar.

 

3. Apricot & strawberry

I like strawberries but am less keen on apricots although I like the flavour.  Apricot was the stronger than strawberry, so if you like apricots this is for you as it was a good apricot taste.  I liked it but prefer the above two; that is just my taste though. My mum loves apricots but is on holiday so I couldn't get her opinion!

 

4. Peanut & raison

This was ranked 4th by both of us although having just had another might be pushing it up to 3rd.  You can taste the raisins but don't really notice the peanuts. There is no strong flavour (which is why we ranked it 4th); just a nice moist chewy bar. For people who don't like such strong flavours or chocolate then this is the one.  It would be ideal if you struggle to get breakfast down on race morning or want something plain.  I think this is the safe flavour which everyone will like; no one will dislike but it will probably not be the favourite for many people.  

I hope that this has given you an idea of what to expect.  At the moment you can only buy them from the 9bar website where you can get a selection box to try all flavours or a box of just one flavour.   Postage is free. If you are a friend message me as I have a 20% discount code.  They will soon be on sale at independent retailers then supermarkets