Experimenting with food before a run

I usually go out for training runs on an empty stomach and for shorter runs, under 7 miles, I feel fine near the end.

But after the El Scorcho disaster, I know I gotta start figuring out how to fuel up on long runs. What works for me. What doesn't.

So for this morning's hill course, I thought I'd experiment by drinking an Accelerade shake 20 minutes before the 5.77-mile run. This has 21 carbs, 20 of them sugar, 5 proteins, and a ton of electrolytes.

I wanted to see how my body would react to the stuff on a short run before using it during a long run.

The early returns? Not bad. I felt strong at the end of the run, which I completed in 45:31. This is the EXACT same time I finished this course last Thursday under similar conditions.

But....

This morning, my heart rate average for the entire run was 84 percent, with a max of 88 percent near the end.

Last week, my heart rate average was 86 percent with a max of 90 near the end.

So, perhaps with a little fuel in the tank, I didn't have to work as hard.

I've got an 11-miler Saturday and plan to use this stuff an hour into the run.