Training May 19-25 - aka: My Take on Hammer Products

Week 13 of 36 (Week 7 of Iron Fit Training Plan). Twenty-four weeks until the race.

What this week's scheduled training looked like (May 19-25):

Total hours scheduled: 10:00

Total hours logged: 9:45

Total running miles this week/total: 20.6/175.1

Total biking miles this week/total: 65.5 /489.5

Total swimming yards this week/total: 5000 / 60,000

Level of IM enthusiasm: 7/10. After last week's potential life-changing news (which would require a move for us out of the country), this week seemed to go back to normal. There's no new info on the job front, so I'm not going to worry about it anymore until we have a more definite time-frame. It may end up not affecting IMFL at all. I can't control if/when the job transfer will come through. All I can control is what I do today -- that's what I keep telling myself. And today, I choose to train.

Nutrition elements: It's Hammer (report) Time, people! In the search for the nutritional product that works best for me I started trying Hammer about three weeks ago and have been very pleased. I think I'm going to stick with them. I particularly like the "Little Red Book" that comes with their products that helps take the guess work out of a lot of the nutritional stuff. Plus lots of helpful, IM-specific hints.

Please pardon the extremely subjective/personal post, but I want to keep track of which Hammer flavors I like for when I go to re-order, so I'm listing them here. (And just for reference, I'm not a big chocolate person, nor do I tend to enjoy rich, "heavy" flavors.)

First, I am not a fan of the Hammer food bars. They're basically just like Lara bars. I'll eat them if I have to, but I don't care for them. I won't be ordering any more.

I'm scoring flavors on a scale of 1-10; 10= yummy for my tummy (for an energy product);  No comment by a flavor means I haven't tried it yet
GELS:
Apple-Cinnamon: 7/10
Banana: A little too realistic for me; 4/10
Chocolate:
Expresso:
Montana Huckleberry: Funny name, but good; 8/10
Orange: Pretty good; 7/10
Peanut Butter: (I'm so scared to try this)
Raspberry: Very Good; 9/10
Tropical (w/caffeine): LOVE! My favorite so far; 9.5/10
Unflavored:
Vanilla: Good; Buy again (but not too much) 6/10

My First Hammer Shipment

HEED (like gels, but a drink instead)
Lemon-Lime:
Mandarin Orange: Good; 7/10
Melon:
Strawberry: Good; 7/10
I like the Heed. It gives me the energy I want plus electrolytes. Taste is fine. It really seems like they're all kind of the same with just the slightest bit of different flavoring. But not unpleasant.

I am finding, interestingly, that the Heed does not quench my thirst. Fine on the bike when I can have one bottle with Heed and one with water, but not so easy on runs when I don't want to carry two different bottles.

PERPETUEM (for 2+ hour workouts; contains some protein)
Caffe Latte (w/caffeine): Good, 8/10
Orange-Vanilla: Good, 8/10
Strawberry-Vanilla: Good, 8/10

One water bottle filled with a single packet (so I think that would be 2 scoops of the larger bucket) got me through my 2.5 hour ride this week and a 2 hour run last week with no problem. Again, I can't actually tell much difference between them in the taste, but they're all pleasant. Also, water needs to be consumed separately. Note: I'm pretty sure Perpetuem is going to be my go-to energy substance for IMFL and my August HIM. I'll be trying the chewables soon.

ENDUROLYTES
Haven't really gotten to these yet because the weather has been so mild (and because Heed includes electrolytes).  Will post more as I get to them. They seem pretty basic.

RECOVERITE (recovery drink)
I think I'm just barely getting to the point in my training where I need a recovery drink sometimes. For my 2.5 hour (41 mile) bike ride? -- Yes. For my less than 1 hour, 2500m swim or 6-mile run? -- No.
Chocolate
Orange Vanilla - Good. 7/10
Strawberry - Good. 7/10
Vanilla - Good. 7/10
(Just so we're clear here, I'm not saying these are like hmm-hmm good. They're palatable. I like that they only have to be mixed with 4-8 of water. Will order all three of the flavors I've tried again).

I also plan to try the Hammer vitamin/supplement products: Race Cap Supreme and Premium Insurance Caps.

If you've never ordered from Hammer, but are thinking of trying, please feel free to use THIS LINK . It will take you to the Gel page, but you can order anything with it. You'll get 15% off your order and I'll get a percentage off my next order too. (First time customers only). I wish I had had someone's to use when I made my first order.

And thus ends my Hammer Nutrition report. I will update as I try more flavors.

Running injury

Other training stuff: Had a crash -- while running for heaven's sake -- on Friday. Hit a piece of jagged sidewalk and took a hard fall. Tore the crap out of my hands and knee and even jarred my shoulder. Just wasn't paying enough attention - kind of like my last fall on my bike. Everybody be careful out there!