My Milo Shopping List

Two weeks to go until the Milo national eliminations. All of a sudden, I feel like there’s so much time to spare. I’ve done my long runs already, topping out at 35 kilometers last Monday. Since I’ve started to feel some foot pain (possibly plantar fasciitis), I decided to start resting my feet and begin tapering. Come D-Day (or B-Day, in my case), I should be prepared enough for the longest run of my life.

But since I like shopping (as KIKAYRUNNER should!), I’ve compiled a list of things I will need to buy.

• Petroleum jelly: I’ve been using BodyGlide as an anti-chafing balm ever since I experienced painful friction burns under my arms after Condura. However, it seems BodyGlide doesn’t work for me over distances longer than 21 kilometers. During my 35-kilometer run, I got a small burn on my chest area, and blood started oozing out into my shirt (!!!). I’m going to bathe in tubs of petroleum jelly on race day.
• Gu energy gels: Did you know at Condura I had jelly beans for energy during my run? No, not sport beans, which have been designed for that purpose. I had candy! But ever since I was introduced to Gu energy gels, I’ve never looked back. Sid sings the Popeye theme song before downing one, and it’s true: you can really get a sustained energy release from these babies. I’m heading to my dealer tomorrow to stock up! (parang drugs lang…)
• Pocari Sweat: I use Gu Brew as an energy drink most times, but during my long runs whenever we took a pit stop at 7-Eleven, I’d buy a bottle of Pocari and found it quenched my thirst and kept me hydrated, but didn’t make me feel bloated. I’m going to ask my support team (meaning my parents, my sister, and her husband) to hand me a bottle to chug down on Kilometer 25 or thereabouts.
• Hair elastics: If you’ve ever seen me without my hair in a ponytail or tucked into my cap, you would know that I have a lot of hair. Yes, waist-length hair is a pain to manage on runs, but I haven’t found the time to cut it. Rico jokingly said I shouldn’t cut it before Milo — I might lose my strength like Samson did! LOL
• Sports sunglasses: While my old Nike sunglasses haven’t quite given up the ghost, the lenses have been scratched and battered. I really do need the sunglasses, especially when the sun rises. On my 35-km run, I found myself squinting at 7:30am. Not good…
• New shoes: Well, actually, they’re not for running Milo, since it’s too late to break new shoes in. But I do need a pair to rotate with my New Balance 1225’s, which have been sorely abused by my long runs. I can no longer use my old Nike’s because I always get sore feet after.

This is gonna turn out to be an expensive marathon… Ü