Wow, what a difference a day makes....Sunday's long run

Nothing like getting up late, and knowing that this could only be the start of a potentially hot run again.

WOW, nothing could be more different. The weather is beautiful (after yesterday's scorcher, i.e. it was down pouring and it was still 90 degrees without any cooling effect, just becoming more humid)

This time before leaving the house ( at a late 7:10 AM) I have a peanut butter sandwich and a bowl of oatmeal (I hope this is enough to keep me fueled.)

I am also going to take water in starting at about mile 1.5 and then every mile and a half or sooner as needed.

The opening mile was a pedestrian 10:51, which seems to be very slow, but I am not taking a chance. I am hoping the other miles go as easy.
Here with my comments are the initial first miles:

1. 10:51 (very slow, but that's OK, weather is great,lets hope it stays this way)
2. 10:41 (10 seconds faster and all uphill, always seems to be the case)
3. 10:39 (still holding relative pace on this slightly flat/down stretch)
4. 10:07 (have to get back to 10:30, these fast miles may do me in..my stomach is starting to feel weird, hmmm)
5. 10:18 (decide to turn towards the high school track for a mile or two)
6. 10:04 (next 6.75 miles will be on the track)
7. 9:54 (huh these laps are well...boring)
8. 9:55 (I am starting to get too much gas, no open bathroom in site)
9. 10:13 (decided to add on and additional 3 miles)
10. 10:16 ( really may need a port-a-john soon, had to be teriyaki steak yesterday)
11. 10:02 (what would possess me to run 27 laps on a HS track??)
12. 10:04 (.5 mile on track, other .5 mile on gravel path from track to HS)
13. 9:24 (decide to make a run for McDonald's, I don't think I will make it, made it, feel so much better..TMI)
14. 9:59 (lets keep this nice pace, I am so glad I got more water at McDee's, I had been out)
15. 9:38 (Wow, amazing how great weather will make a run go so well.
16. 9:16 (nice way to finish last mile, I can see the sun is starting to heat things up, but I am done)
17. 4:42 (.5 mile) (nice way to finish)

Plan was for 16, I did 16.5, this was my first long run an a very long time. I thought I would feel very tired, but yet the legs are starting to recover..this is good!!

I am at 57.25 miles for the week, one better than last week, and considering all my ills, I am very happy. But being 3 miles from a new personal best is going to taunt me all day. I may hop on treadmill for a very easy 3 later after dinner. To finish this week over 60 would be great, and with next week being a cut back (probably around 45 miles) to get the legs fresh for Batsto, I am very happy with how they feel today. My average pace was 10:04, and with the last quarter being all sub 10 miles, means the fitness and legs are coming back. Next week should give me a very good indication of my true performance level. I am shooting for sub 24 minute 5K.

It is amazing how much better a run is in cool weather, it just boggles my mind. I am also very happy with finishing the week off with this run. Running on the track was very nice and not as boring as I thought. Although when I was starting to waiver, 6 hawks started to fly over head, circling, that was just weird.

I have to make sure that I eat enough the day before and before I leave the door. Not to concerned with bathroom stop, considering teriyaki /soy sauce gives me lots of gas. So I will chalk it up to that. Plus it also allowed me to refill my hydration pack, so I had more water to consume for the last 5 miles when it started to get hot.

Everything worked its way out this week, so I am happy, lets see what next week brings.

Saturday and it isn't a day in the park (8/4/2007)

Not much to say on this except that by 6 it was already feeling like 90+, thanks to humidity in the 90s, This run is not going to be good, and after yesterday's disaster I needed a good one.

And oh by the way, I plan on going to the lab after my run for a blood test, yep, I am insane, I have been fasting since last night, I am just asking for trouble. Plan is going to be for 14, I will be glad with 12. This run has all the makings of a disaster written all over it. Boy, I could not have been more correct. I wish I was wrong.

I took enough water, tried to maintain easy pace, but I ma cooked. My legs have no life left in them. This run was tough. And lets not forget that the run was for the most part an out and back, that rolled from mile to mile.

Lets see how the miles went

1. 10:40 (nice easy pace OK, this has potential)
2. 10:20 (OK, I picked up the pace on a uphill stretch, not good)
3. 10:09 (slightly downhill feeling OK, holding pace)
4. 9:53 (road goes down, feeling good, feeling too good)
5. 9:51 (road goes up now, slightly but up, I am going to pay for this pace)
6. 9:56 (now at the turn around I have to go in the opposite direction, pay time is coming)
7. 9:51 (OK going up and I am feeling too good, feel like I am starting to consume too much water)
8. 10:12 (uphill, hot, and I am almost out of water, and its getting hotter. Boy am I hungry)
9. 10:14 (time to change route, the idea of facing two miles of pretty good uphills is not appealing)
10. 12:11 (holding my own, and then a little over 9.5, I am forced to start walking, this is bad)
11. 10:25 (holding on, and finishing, my shoes are completely drenched in sweat as am I, its hot)

Avg of 10:21, so had I held a easy 10:30 pace, I would have been OK, but those middle fast miles did me in. More importantly not having anything to eat made the situation worse. I can't fool around with nutrition, if I don't fuel I am in trouble the whole run.

As a side note, the lab tech had a hard time finding my vein, shocker considering how dehydrated I was. I am shocked she was able to keep poking around till she found one.

Spent the rest of the morning at Build a Bear for a birthday party, then on the drive home, took detour and scouted directions to Batsto. Looks like next Sunday morning will be spent there for the Pig Iron 5K

Not overly happy with this run, but legs feel OK, they felt so good, I jumped around with the kids at the birthday party. I am going to try to eat enough today so tomorrow's run will not be so bad.

I need to finish the week off on a good note.

Here we go again...different day, same result (Friday's run 8/3/2007)

Last Fridays run I just chalked up to going out late in the day, not being properly hydrated and being a little hungry.

See when its hot and humid, you sweat more. I big guy like me (190lbs) will sweat more than say some a 160lb runner. Your body can only absorb about 7 ounces of water per hour, even though you might be sweating out 2-3 pounds per hour. All this has a very big effect on performance. Once you start to dehydrate, it can get ugly. Taste some salt on you lips and its really getting bad. If you don't fuel up before either, now you have no fuel and no cooling, get the picture... not good.

This week was going to be different, I tried to eat something before my run, and thought I had hydrated. Plus I was going to take fluids with me. I took 20 oz of 1/4 Powerade and the rest water. I was ready....NOT!!!!

But you see, I already screwed up and invited my good running buddy Murphy along with me, by going out at 1:30 for my run. Murphy likes midday runs, he also likes to make sure that you don't bring enough fluid with you. The less prepared you are the better for him.

One thirty, that was the same time, I went out last Friday, and LSO (Life Sucking Orb aka the Sun) was essentially at full strength. Half a mile into the run, I was drenched already, feeling good but drenched. This run was not going to be good. Plan was for 10 miles, I don't think that will be in the plans. At least Murphy hopes so....

Lets take a look at the splits and where everything went downhill

1. 9:52 ( OK too fast)
2. 9:58 (uphill in this heat, I am way too fast, slow the F down)
3. 10:00 (OK, your slowing down, not bad, this could be doable)
4. 10:04 (nice job so far, keeping the pace very close)
5. 13:36 (yeah the wheels came off, I had to walk for .5 mile, I hate to walk)
6. 11:10 (uphill, take it easy, out of fluid, have to get to the Wawa for more)
7. 12:51 (time include 2 minutes of being in Wawa getting more Powerade)
8. 10:35 (just trying to get done, Powerade is helping)
9. 2:35 (.25 mile)

OK, what did I learn, in really bad heat, nee more Powerade than water to replace electrolytes. I have to go very slowly. If I kept the first 4 miles at about 10:30 mpm, I think run would have gone better. Twenty ounces is not enough fluid for this heat (about 92 degrees), I also needed to have at least a liter of water in the hour leading up to my run.

But most importantly, I have to get the runs in early or late in the day, mid day is just way too hot. This might be the answer to these tough Friday runs.

Lets see what the weekend brings..

Thursday's run (8/2/2007)

Thursday I decided to wait till after dinner to go for my run, the weather had been unbearable but it stared to cool down as evening set in. So by 7 PM it was roughly about mid 80s and pretty well manageable humidity.

I set out to try and give my legs a break, by just trying to keep even pacing.

1. 9:47
2. 9:45
3. 9:43
4. 9:23
5. 9:23
6. 9:01
7. 9:08
8. 9:20

avg was 9:27 which was actually 4 seconds per mile faster than yesterdays run, but better news was that the legs felt great. I am very happy with my results so far. But my nemesis, LSO (Life Sucking Orb aka the Sun) is supposed to be in optimal form from Friday and through weekend. I am hoping I will not have a repeat of last Friday's disaster of a run. But for tonights run, I will bask in a good performance.