12 mile XC run

During the week I had a 7 mile tempo run. I decided to see what my actual weight loss would be on a faster run that was a short distance and time. (I mean short since I am trying to work on nutrition for events lasting over 1.5 hrs) My starting weight was 185.2 and when I ended the scale showed 181.6lbs. The weather was about 50 degrees and I kept my HR around 174 for the Tempo run. I figure that I loose between 1.0-1.5 liters per hour and will try to lock this in over the next many months.
Saturday I joined, Beth, Julies, Ken and Lorie for a 12mile XC run starting at about 7500ft elevation. The course was up and down and the views were to die for. My goal for the event was to see how I would feel on 400 Calories per hour and 70 oz of water. I mixed 750 calories of Gatorade and took 1 package of PowerBar Gel Blasts at 130 calories and 2 Granola bars at 90 calories each. I liked having solids better this time than the gels that I took last time. I am not sure why but I feel better processing the solids better.
The weather was warm but not hot and I took everything in a newly purchased Nathan Backpack that held everything that I needed. I monitored my intake much better this run and took drinks every 2 minutes or close this time. I took the solids at 1 hour and 1.5 hours and felt the same as I did last long run GREAT. I did not feel depleted and just before 2 hours we has a .75 mile section along a ridge that Beth and I took the pace from 10/mile to around 8/mile. My HR stayed on the level section under 168 even though we picked the pace up by almost 2 minutes per mile. I was very tired at the end and used parts of my legs that the road does not. I finished feeling very positive and feeling good. I felt that this event was a huge success. I have not found the top of what I can take and process and will continue to work to this result but for now I felt that the run was awesome. 2.18 hours and 12.31 miles and I had an average HR below 170. I did pee only once this time as I did 3 or 4 times a few weeks ago. I think that because the weather was 30 degrees warmer I was able to process everything easier.
I have signed up for the Moab, Utah 10mile XC race November 14Th and look to see how I do running a very hard XC course at race pace working my new program.

I would appreciate any input because I am doing this only because I have not found success the other way. I feel that at 183lbs I could loose some weight and over the next 6 months I will work towards this direction. I started my life change at 235 and have kept myself around 180 for nearly 3 years now. I think that I would do better close to 170 so I am trying to get to this area. Anne says go not by the scale but how I look and feel and so I will have that be the largest factor.
Stay tuned for the next update.

Love you Anne,

T