The spray version seems to have the highest concentration, although the roll-on works the best for no mess application, and the plain gel for best coverage.  I would recommend against getting the large bottles of the gel because it loses its effectiveness too quickly and the pump doesn’t do a good job of dispensing.  Use the smaller squeeze bottles if you go for the original gel form.

This past week, I ran 30 miles in three days and then took off for vacation in Kansas City.  I had signed up as a timed runner for the Komen Race for the Cure in Kansas City.  I was concerned with the number of participants being a problem for a good run–planned 28000–but I ended up not having to fight through a crowd or do much weaving the entire race–usually a problem for even the medium-sized 5Ks at the start.

The results:

My streak of 5k PRs is broken after 8 consecutive PRs.

21:02.42 [+:36 to my PR], 6:47/mile, 5/116 in my age group, 71/1869 out of timed participants.

The good:

• Ample parking was available within a block or so of the 5k start.
• After the finish line of the race were booths of large marathon expo quantity, except that the vendors at the booths were primarily interested in targeting “people” instead of just “runners”. It was nice to see a little variety in the products and giveaways being offered–I have enough marathon brochures.
• Starbucks had coffee, iced tea, and VIA instant coffee samples.
• If you were a timed runner, getting goodies and leaving the parking area traffic free was painless.
• The separation of “timed” runners, and untimed 5k participants and 1 mile participants prevented the 28000 participant from creating a crowd for any runner targeting a specific time.  In fact, the pace areas from 5-9 all compressed due to the thinness of the crowd in that area.

The bad:

One complaint: Nothing resembling a restroom was available within 2 blocks of the start line.  There were ample porta-pottys at the finish, which was at least 3 blocks away.  A handful of Assurant Health employees managed to use the restroom in their own building, along with many many non-employees slipping through the unlocked doors.  I had mild cramping as a result, and was tempted to use an office building as a tree.  [No, I didn't.]
The course:

The course is your typical run-a-5k-downtown course.  However, they somehow managed to add the extra component of hills (that’s about 3% average incline the whole time):

Kansas City Race for the Cure 5k course and elevation

Compare this to my 20:52 5k time in similar weather last year, which about half the elevation change:

Gaslight 5k course and elevation

The report:

I had a clear view of the starting line when I lined up in between the 6 and 7 minute pace markers. Just before the gun went off, the first 4 minutes of pace areas compressed toward the start line and I crossed the line at about 2 seconds after the gun.

My first 1k was strong, despite running mostly uphill. By the 2nd kilometer, I really started feeling the burn of running uphill. The first long downhill was welcomed, but didn’t last through the 3rd kilometer prior to heading uphill again.

At this point, I was feeling wobbly legs and started overheating a little bit.  In the 4th kilometer there was a false top with a quick descent prior to climbing one last hill.  That all but broke me.

I received limited benefit from the long downhill in the 5th kilometer, and barely broke a 7-minute pace. Toward the finish line, there was small hill.  I practically jogged it, as the 0.05 mile after the 5th km lap triggered on my Garmin indicates.

That was the hottest run that I’ve experienced in which I didn’t purposely seek out hot weather.

1 – km paces:

• 6:14
• 6:40
• 6:30
• 7:04
• 6:54
• leftover (about 0.05 mi)- 8:06

• I had a mid-back spasm in the first mile of my 5-miler yesterday morning that was still bothering me this morning. [Managed to fight for a 9'22" pace yesterday]
• The first hour of the run didn’t break 9:30 pace, the second hour was still about 9:12 pace.
• It poured rain for at least the hour of my run this morning, making my shoes incredibly heavy until the water mostly emptied after about 12 miles.
• I was wrapping up my highest mileage week in a year–75 miles–after 70 miles last week.
• I was wrapping up my highest mileage month ever [312 miles].
• I had two gels for a 20-miler [I usually use at least 3, but I take 5]
• My last two 20-milers together averaged well over 10 minutes per mile, but my target was sub-9 [under 3 hours for 20].

The results were considerably better than expected.  I stopped for a potty break before mile 10, but also had to fight through running on the side of Hurstbourne Parkway that didn’t have a sidewalk.  No, I didn’t run on the road; I ran in the un-mowed uneven weeds at were at times knee-high.

My first 6 miles were okay, but slower than I expected, at a 9:34 pace.

My second 6 miles were more respectable, at a 9:15 pace.

It was at the 2 hour mark that I decided:  I only had 7.2 miles to go, and 8:20 [7.2 mph] is a comfortable “cruising” pace for me. Therefore, I should be able to finish in 3 hours.  At that point, my mental will recovered from 4 months of not caring and leaving my legs with no support.  Not only did I hit three hours, but I also had sub-8 splits a couple of times in the last hour.

Negative 6-mile splits

I saw 5-6 turkey vultures today on my run at mile 5 1/2 [on Broad Run Road]. Before I realized that were swooping down on your garden variety roadkill, the sight of them evoked some disturbing [in a funny way] thoughts.

Of course, then, I started thinking that squirrels on Seatonville Road and Broad Run Road must not be as good at dodging cars as on the other roads on my route.  Then, I started wondering what I’m doing running on roads that so many squirrels have recently met their demise on.

Maybe I should go back to running with music on roads and sidewalks that are “safe”.  I clearly have too much time to think on my long runs.

This was my longest continuous run in about 2 months.  Every single run since [including my Kentucky Derby Festival Marathon DNF] has had more than one long pitstop or a prolonged walk break.  And so, a 15 mile non-stop long run is my longest run in at least two months.  I can’t completely confirm that my 20-mile long run through Iroquois Park and UofL were continuous runs either, but I know that there weren’t many places that I could have stopped.

The pace for today’s run was a 9’31″/mile average pace, which is about 50 seconds slower than I would have liked, but I’d rather be in one piece for my next long run than hit some time goal on a training run 5 months from my goal marathon.