I'd be pretty careful running with a laptop. No matter how good the rucksack it's going to get jiggled around which isn't going to do it any good. It's a long time ago but my old laptop went pearshaped after a similar thing. Nothing major, just some of the circuit boards were knocked out of alignment. Was a long time ago so laptops may be more robust now, but personally I wouldn't be too happy running with a laptop. They're also quite heavy things to run with.
Gels give you a more instantaneous boost than energy drinks. They're really useful around the 18-20 mile point of the marathon. Maxim are good in that they have a resealable cap so you don't have to get sticky gel over your hands or have it all at once.
Moe, where did you find the Swoops for £40? I'm after a pair of those or some Walsh's. Fly, boots are too heavy to run in. You don't need cushioning for fell running, and unless you're going to have a full on boot style ankle cuff, you may as well cut down on the weight comletely. The fact that you don't have the 'high heel' type sole that you get on road runners also means that you're less likely to twist your ankles. In addition you're not interested in waterproofing them. Comes down to weight and grip in the end.
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Greg
