Feeling the heat

In more ways than one, the heat is bearing down.

4 Weeks to Go
The last couple months have flown by and I'm really wondering how ready I'm going to be for the Leanhorse 100. While I've gotten in some consistent mileage over the last 6-8 weeks, my long runs have suffered tremendously while being on vacation, travelling and eating poorly.

In all honesty, I'm trying very hard to keep my body together and not wreck myself (or get sick) before heading to South Dakota. I have some aches and pains that I'm working through and slowly figuring out.

The Arizona Sun
I feel like I squandered many mid-60-degree mornings back in North Dakota now that I'm forced to deal with the blazing Arizona heat. After a bumpy week of re-acclimation to the heat and a very different hydration mindset, my body is starting to make sense of it all. 85F runs are starting to feel cool now...NOT!

Making it Work
When I look at the mileage I have to cover in the next couple weeks and the daunting challenge of covering that distance outside in the heat, I'm forced to consider other options...options I have loathed in the past.

Meet my new friend.

Sole F80

Something tells me we're going to get to know each other over the next 4 weeks...

Disappointingly educational

I am still stewing over my run today. I try never to be too hard on myself when things don't work out the way I expect because, well, not only could it happen in a race but also, that's life!

Today was one of those (for lack of a better word) incidents where perhaps a little over confidence and lack-of-preparation got the best of me. Though I am slightly disappointed with how the run went, it was very beneficial to come to grips with the reality that running in warm (dare I say hot?) weather is very different than running in cooler weather. Though that might seem slightly obvious, it is most relevant to having (and adjusting) your hydration strategy come race-day.

Having switched over to afternoon runs as of last week, I took today off to ensure I got my long run in under the Arizona sun. Of course, today just happened to be the hottest day of Fall thus far (high of 92).

(Queue lack-of-preparation)

Having dismissed the 'heat' I would be running in, I obliviously thought that preparing my water bottles and Perpetuem a few hours in advance would make them cold enough to withstand the Arizona sun. Wrong.

(Queue over-confidence)

Having performed quite well in my last couple (shorter) runs, I started this run like I was attacking a shorter run in cooler weather. Starting my run at 9:30 should be cool enough to keep an even pace for 3 hours. Wrong again.

When you put those two together, nothing but bad ju-ju happens - just like it did today. When you don't respect the heat, it will take you down in a big ball of scratchy salt.

So while the run itself was disappointing, it was a great reminder that long-runs - whether in the desert heat or not - must be respected.

Lesson learned.

Respect the run, respect the heat.

Check.

The Heat Locker, Part II

Like I was playing out my own little cinematic rendition of The Water Boy, I packed a small cooler of water and Heed to use for my long run today. Not realizing it had rained most of the night, I stepped out of my house this morning at 4:30 am only to be greeted with the worst humidity I have ever felt here in Gilbert, AZ. Despite the overwhelming thickness in the air, I made my way through the streets of town hoping that the route I had planned - which crossed several farming areas - would provide some cooler temperatures. Unfortunately, the only thing I gained was a slightly better smelling odor instead of the usual dairy cow - slash - feces - slash - sewage treatment smell.

I cut my route short to try and make it back to my stashed cooler because clearly, the 16 oz of water I had on me was not going to last. Like going on a long trip with the gas gauge on E, I coasted into my neighborhood literally sucking the last drops of water out of my water bottle.

I took 5 minutes to compose myself and reload on the fluids. I stripped out of my tri-tank and ditched my hand-held bottle and lamps to make room for my fuel belt. Thanks goodness I had frozen several of the water bottles...these were used mainly for pouring over the head rather than consumption.

90oz of fluid wasn't enough

Unfortunately, this additional 32 oz of hydration didn't take me the additional 8 miles I need to meet my goal. It was the first run in a long time where it took all my mental energy to stay focused on my cadence, form and overall goal. All the while, fighting to keep the sweat out of my eyes...

The Heat Locker

I can honestly say that I have not missed training in the hot desert this summer. The weather was fantastic throughout my entire trip in North/South Dakota as well as Idaho. Morning temperatures in the mid-to-high 50's and afternoons in the mid-80's almost every day with one exceptionally nice 95 degree day back home in Minot (but let's be honest, 95 in North Dakota is cool compared to 95 in Phoenix).

The mild temperatures are definitely gone. Back to 110 during the day and lows around 85.

This morning's run (my first of the summer here in AZ) was a brutal assault on my sweat glands. Buckets I tell ya.  You would have thought to look at me that I had just jumped in the neighbors pool or something. Nope (though it did cross my mind). Just sweat. And only 16 oz. of water to combat the abnormally humid Arizona morning.

From the moment I started the run, it was obvious I was was dehydrated. My calves and Achilles were tight from the get-go and never let loose. I stopped a few times to try and stretch them out but being back home does come with the reality that it's just fricken' hot.

Remembering an article I read in Runner's World about how the heat impacts your run, I managed to muster through 3 miles before my water was completely drained, my calves were locked up and sweat was actually dripping from the back of my head onto my neck. Buckets, I tell ya.

So chalk one up for Mother Nature today - not a run I'm going to brag to my friends about but a great lesson on how important hydration is regardless of what activity you're doing.

Back to the pool this afternoon. Hopefully that is not a dismal as my run. I guess if anything, it will be nice and cool without the buckets of sweat.