Day 62: Thresholds, Tiredness and the Timing of Energy Gels

The Art of Suffering Before Sunrise

Another early start saw me up at 5 am, lacing up my trainers in the kind of darkness that suggests even the sun has better things to do. Rochester awaited, and after yesterday’s much-needed rest day, today’s session called for a 19-minute hard effort at a heart rate of around 165 bpm. Nothing quite says “good morning” like willingly launching yourself into oxygen debt before most people have found their slippers.

A Lesson in Fuelling (or, How to Avoid Running on Empty)

Threshold runs are designed to test both physical endurance and mental fortitude, a bit like arguing with a particularly stubborn parrot. Lately, I’ve found these morning sessions a struggle, my energy levels suspiciously similar to those of an old mobile phone—full charge at bedtime, mysteriously down to 2% by morning.

In an effort to combat this, I tried taking an energy gel just before the run. The result? A slight improvement, but it became clear that my timing was off. The gel’s benefits arrived just in time for the cool-down, which, while pleasant, was not exactly the intended effect. Next time, I’ll take it during the drive to Rochester and see if that delivers the energy boost when I actually need it—rather than when I’m pondering my post-run cup of coffee.

The Weight of Miles (and the Importance of Rest)

The rest of the day passed in an unremarkable haze of general tiredness. It wasn’t the kind of exhaustion that sleep alone can fix, but the deeper fatigue that comes from steadily adding mile after mile to the training log. My legs are adapting, but they’ve also started sending strongly worded complaints to management.

This is all part of the process, of course. Training for a marathon isn’t just about logging miles—it’s about understanding when to push and when to step back. Rest days matter. Recovery matters. And sometimes, so does a second breakfast.

With that in mind, I’ll continue to tweak my fuelling strategy and keep an ear out for what my body is telling me. Hopefully, next time, I’ll get the energy gel timing just right—before my legs decide to rebel.