 posted Jun-04-2007 10:56 AM
   
   As a fitness runner trying to keep in overall good shape enough to run a marathon whenever convenient at least once a year on as little running training as possible (but now up to ten or so a year as there are so many marathons that are all way too convenient), the only goal has been to run 26.2 miles and whether it took four hours as in the early years or the two over seven hours last year has never mattered. However, after a 5:00:40 in the hilly Capital City Marathon last month, I thought breaking 5 hours would be a cinch at the flat Green River Marathon from the City of Kent for 15 miles along the Green River, five miles through an industrial/commercial area (with one steep hill only one block long) and six bike path miles to Alki Beach in West Seattle. It had been 84 degrees the day before so, based on previous hot weather marathons (up to 102 degrees), I ended up having eight gu’s, two electrolyte capsules, two fast food salt packets, 2-3 Dixie cups of water or Gatorade at each of the six aid stations, and three energy bars. It only got up to 75 degrees and I felt good all the way, in fact more like ecstatic as I ended up beating two nemeses handily, one of whom I had passed at mile 13 in the Eugene Marathon in April only to have him leave me in the dust at mile 21. Therefore, it was a big surprise to not break five hours and end up at 5:35 in a run that felt like an easy five hour breaker. I never thought much about it before, but it made me recall the formula of marathons being 30 seconds a mile slower for every five degrees above 60 degrees which, at 75 degrees (and wasn’t that hot all the way anyway) could add up to 39 minutes to my planned 5hr run. It still doesn’t make sense though since I hydrated so well, never had any cramps or other problems, and have certainly never heard of it happening to anyone else, e.g. top elite runners ending up with 2:30's just ‘cause it was 70 degrees in some race. Otherwise, I have to wonder if it is Father Time finally doing what he did to my four hour marathons some years back but I hope not, at least not yet. ps - since I finished feeling greta and know I can still run 26.2 miles, I’m not really sorry about missing five hours but, especially since it is such a small marathon, I’m so sorry to have missed Huskydon and Solarunner but that’s the problem with a point-to-point course when you’re slow. ============================
FR - as is my practice in sunny-day running, lots of sunsceen especially on tops of my bare feet, halo sweat band under MM cap with green Lawrence-of-Arabia style shoulder-length bandana for sun protection, green mesh tri-trunks with orange/yellow tech T-shirt and fanny pack with lots of gels, etc
[This message has been edited by Tetsujin30 (edited Jun-04-2007).]
thanks for the very eye-opener ideas on running at 75 degrees. Especially when I did so well hydrating, I'm amazed that the temperature could still make such a difference and appreciate the other experiences/explanations. It's really got me thinking about past years' marathons with widely fluctuating finishing times even though I was in about the same shape and condition. Maybe because it never gets that hot so much, I've never really thought of 75 degrees as being that hot (as opposed to 80 degrees which, now that I think about it, is only five degrees different) and assumed that effective hydrating would a sufficient countermeasure against the heat. In line with what solar notes, several fast runners from the Capital City slipped nearly 30 minutes in their Green Rivers and the winner's 3:17 is about 20 minutes off his normal sub-3's. Maybe I can beat mariposa. . . I mean get under 5hr this year too after all. tamashirtie - the red shirt with the Seattle SpaceNeedle backdrop is from the November United We Run New York Sister Marathon run on NYC Marathon weekend in November on exactly the same course. The Green River singlets also have the needle backdrop logo (see above image). A picture would be real nice. ps - the orange/yellow shirt is the tech-T from the August 2006 Cutthroat Mountain Classic Ridge Climb out in the Methow where Mariposai and Fjordrunner run. John - for me, 50K is long enough to require some solid food and the aid station table will have it. It would be worthwhile to send them an e-mail and find out what they'll have, e.g. boiled potatoes, cookies of some type, what brand energy bars, etc. and start getting used to eating them on your training runs (wtg on 18 miles too!). Also get used to electrolyte tables like arf used, fast food salt packets, etc. Actually, I am not a gu fan at all, nor can I stand Gatorade durinig regular life but they all taste so good around mile 18. Have fun man. ps - it'll make the Bowerman book even more special that it made getting to run in Eugene knowing I have it on the shelf with all my Oregon friends having read it too. Anyone else? lil - we know you're there gettin' ready for your August half but just get ready for a jillion hugs from me and all the guys and then jumping into the cold lake before a warm hot tub [This message has been edited by Tetsujin30 (edited Jun-05-2007).]
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I am so happy for you that you ran this race so well. Congratulations, sweet Tetsujin!
