posted Oct-06-2007 12:33 PM            

I have a very difficult time running in heat and humidity, yet I’m developing quite a track record for picking races on days that turn out to be exceptionally hot and humid—regardless of the time of year. Today’s 20-miler was a case in point. Even with an early 7:15 race time, we had 67F and 100% humidity at the start and 74F (not sure of humidity) at the end (on our way to 90F today). The air was so thick with moisture I had to drive with the wipers on this morning. And for the first ¾ of the race it was dead calm; no breeze at all. And this is supposed to be October. Fall. Cooler weather. Instead, it felt like August. The H&H kicked my butt (again) and I barely slogged through. Honestly, I think if this had been a marathon I would have been walking most of the last 10K. (My heart goes out to Chicago folks, if this is what you get tomorrow.)

It doesn’t have to be this way. AJ (who some of you remember) and I ran this race last year. (We were just recently commiserating that this was probably our favorite race last year.) Clearly she brought good luck since last year we had IRC with starting temps in the low 50s. I ran it in 2:51:22, an 8:34 pace.

I’m in better shape this year, but starting temps were 15-degrees warmer and much more humid, raising the question of what pace I should run. Does training trump humidity? I learned the answer to that one: a resounding NO. I started with a few miles at last year’s pace, and quickly realized that was way too fast for me in this heat. So I dialed it back, still too fast. Dialed it back, still too fast. The entire remainder of the race involved slowing down the pace every few miles so I could just finish. By the end, I was barely squeaking in under 10:00 miles and taking walking breaks. It was not pretty. I jogged in at 3:03:59 (Garmin), a 9:12 pace—nearly 13 minutes slower than last year. (My AHR was 157; 86% HRR.)

This was a tune-up race for the Richmond Marathon in November (which last year, as some of you may remember, was also in the butt-kicking, near-record-breaking mid-70s by finish ). I had originally hoped to test a marathon pace today, but the weather made that unfeasible. It was, however, a trial run of other sorts. Same clothes, same nutrition/hydration plan, etc. Water only + endurolytes (2-3 per hour) + gels @ mile 6, 12, 16. That part seemed to go reasonably well, though I was still flirting with stomach issues as I got overheated and tired later on. What is it with my *&@# stomach? Grrrrr..

Random odd moment of the day: Some guy around mile 10-11 sounded like a running ball of phlegm. He was coughing, wheezing, spitting, and snorting up a storm. Frankly, he was totally grossing me out. I sped up to drop him and he stayed right behind me. I slowed down to let him pass, he slowed down. When I looked back, I realized he had headphones on and probably didn’t appreciate how loud he was being. I was just getting ready to say something and, suddenly, he started walking, which gave me my chance to escape. Yuck.

Unfortunately, the race experience as a whole was a bit of a disappointment. There was a classic car show and Fall Festival going on nearby that brought tons of traffic to the course this year and the last six or seven miles were run alongside seemingly endless lines of vehicles. Also, there was none of the home-baked goods, door prizes, or tote bag that made last year’s race kind of special. Even the shirt was the same design as last year, just on a different color T. Not sure what happened this year.

Ending on the positives (I learned this from Hollyanna. )
--one more 20-miler done
--confirmed that water only + Endurolytes + gels strategy can work…even in tough weather.
--I know for sure now: hot humid weather? It’s purely a fun run for me; slow down and enjoy the scenery.
--new RaceReady shorts on which I recently splurged are awesome.
--despite the poor day, afterwards, I still felt in better shape than last year. I’m not particularly sore or tender, for example.
--having offered this one up in sacrifice to the running gods, it’s bound to be cooler in Richmond this year…right? Please!!!!
--after the race, the AC in the truck was heavenly.
--the AC in the house is just as nice.

BTW, for those who don’t know…
The name: In May of 1863, Confederate General Thomas Jonathan “Stonewall” Jackson was accidentally shot three times by his own troops at Virginia’s Battle of Chancellorsville. His arm was amputated in a field hospital after which he was accidentally dropped off of a stretcher, creating new medical problems. Jackson was then moved by military ambulance 27 miles down rough roads to a house that was serving as a hospital. A week later, he was dead. (Personally, I think the heat and humidity did him in, but historians disagree.) A big chunk of this race follows the road Jackson’s ambulance traveled; thus the name.

ETA: Some grisly runner humor towards the end as ambulances began scooping up downed runners. This is the 20-mile Ambulance Run, after all.

[This message has been edited by Tramps (edited Oct-06-2007).]

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posted Oct-06-2007 12:57 PM               

~ drawpu dna drawnO

e k i M ~

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posted Oct-06-2007 01:29 PM            

[This message has been edited by Canfit (edited Oct-06-2007).]

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posted Oct-06-2007 02:11 PM            

[This message has been edited by JJJessee (edited Oct-06-2007).]

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posted Oct-06-2007 02:46 PM               

You did great, even with the heat, and you got in another long training run, learned a few things, and you had such a nice list of positives. This will pay off for you at Richmond.

{{{cool temps for November, cool temps for November}}}

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Holly

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posted Oct-06-2007 03:35 PM            

.........you're right,
the humidity probably killed him......

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posted Oct-06-2007 03:58 PM               

I agree that the running gods owe you some good weather at Richmond. Good luck.

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posted Oct-06-2007 05:46 PM            

quote:

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Originally posted by hollys4874:
Tramps - do you know that my first (psuedo) marathon was in exactly these temps - [...] And you know what - that was just the way I liked it.

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This is just incomprehensible to me, but I know such variation exists. In fact, after today's race another runner and I were talking about "miserable conditions," how nice it was last year, etc, and another guy turns around and says, "Are you nuts? It was freezing last year. This was great today." I guess everyone's different...and it sounds like you and I are at opposite ends of the scale!

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posted Oct-06-2007 05:58 PM               

TomS

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My Profile

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posted Oct-06-2007 06:05 PM               

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posted Oct-06-2007 06:25 PM               

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"If you see a man running up a mountain trail in Montana with a fly pole attached to his back, you are probably lost. LDD

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posted Oct-06-2007 08:15 PM               

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posted Oct-07-2007 07:43 AM            

you now know that you can't handle really hot/humid races (we have that in common-my pw marathon was in such and after a review of my races, so were many 5K's...)

adjusting pace for race day weather is a lesson that some people never learn...

and you have completed another LR, supported on a race course which made it easier than struggling through by yourself, and will likely make a quick recovery. So keep your hopes up for race day and don't yet change your plans-make that adjustment on race morning-with the hopes of going out and running your race.

Well done, tramps!

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posted Oct-07-2007 10:18 AM            

........... of it's regiment, the 42nd Alabama, that went into battle on Friday 530 men strong, numbered 300 men on Saturday and consisted of only 10 men on Sunday evening. The rest were killed, captured, wounded or otherwise lost in the meantime...........

hard to look at these beautiful places,
and visualize the carnage that went on there......

written by none other than Karl Marx..........
...ok,
well I thought that was fascinating......

[This message has been edited by tomwhite (edited Oct-07-2007).]

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posted Oct-07-2007 10:27 AM               

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Holly

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posted Oct-07-2007 01:51 PM               

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posted Oct-07-2007 06:20 PM               

The worst part about having a sub-par time under conditions like these is that it plants seeds of doubt in our minds. It wouldn't matter if we ran the whole thing into a 40 mph headwind during a hail storm. We still believe that somehow we should have found a way to overcome it, and worry about it when we don't.

Otherwise I believe that you will get as much benefit from the effort as you would running a PR on a cool day. Personally, I have found that a few good efforts in the heat have lead to some of my best racing during the first few weeks of return to cooler temperatures. It's happened on several occasions, the most recent being only a month ago.

All you need is some decent weather for Richmond and you will do fine. Don't let this play with your head--the heat really does make a difference, and it can be huge. If the elites have trouble with it (see today's Chicago Marathon) it is going to give most of us fits.

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posted Oct-07-2007 07:47 PM               

Way to tough it out on such a hot day. You did admirably well and your next race will be a great one. Adversity makes us tougher and you will be tough.

Way to go
Tall

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posted Oct-08-2007 11:07 AM            

quote:

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Originally posted by RunsTheBitterroot:
I would have to say given the warm/humid conditions and only loosing about 1% on your pace, looks like a substantial improvement overall.

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Larry, I appreciate your optimism but I question your math.

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posted Oct-08-2007 11:47 AM            

John

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posted Oct-08-2007 11:53 AM            

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posted Oct-08-2007 12:20 PM            

Well, put a notch in your belt for this one. I am crossing my fingers for you for mild and cool temps for Richmond!

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posted Oct-08-2007 01:46 PM               

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Lil Engine (aka Welsh Pony)
"I think I can, I think I can"

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posted Oct-08-2007 04:37 PM            

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posted Oct-08-2007 06:34 PM               

Paul

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