It's Hot

I thought Saturday's run was great. Beautiful neighborhoods. Enough hills to keep it interesting. Enough humidity to make it feel like you were swimming. Actually, that's the only thing that bothered me, the heat and humidity. I kept up around an 8:30 pace during the eight mile loop. Then I went back over the course and did almost six more miles, but I slowed considerably, mostly due to the fact that I was getting dehydrated. Or was I just getting tired?

Monday's hill training was fun, but it was sure hot, and I didn't have time to set out water for the group. The ice water back at the store was a welcome relief! Thursday we will be doing intervals again. I am thinking about keeping them short - maybe 200s or 400s instead of 800s - because of the heat. It looks like it is going to continue to be hot for a while, and I thought it might be good to post a few hints for coping with the heat:

• Run at the coolest time of day, usually in the morning. Do I follow this advice? No. I run at noon and with the group in the early evening, almost at the hottest part of the day. At least my long runs are in the morning.
• Run in the shade as much as possible. I do try to do this.
• Wear light technical fabrics and as little as possible to encourage evaporation and wicking of sweat. 
• Don't wear a hat. It will tend to trap the heat. Wear a visor instead, if you need to keep the sun out of your eyes. However, some people soak a baseball cap with water, stick it in the freezer and then wear it during their runs.
• Roll up some ice cubes in a bandanna and wear it around your neck.
• Hydrate before, during, and after your run. Consider carrying water bottles (either hand held or on a belt) or a hydration pack.
• Run a shorter distance than you might normally run in cooler weather. 
• Run slower than you would in cooler weather.
• Take more walk breaks. Sometimes, in order to make the most of the shade, I will run in the sun and walk in the shade.
• Hose yourself off during the run. Or at least splash yourself at the water fountains.
• Run with friends, or let someone know where you're running and when you'll return. 
• If you feel nauseous or light headed, or if you have chills or stop sweating, stop immediately, get in the shade, and drink something cold.

Here is an article that should serve as a warning about running in the heat:

www.runnersworld.com/article/0,7120,s6-243-297--11446-0,00.html

Running in Ozawkie

I missed last Saturday’s group run because I was at a family reunion in Kansas, but I did manage to get in a 12 mile run on the way too hilly streets of Ozawkie.

I didn’t feel that good on the run and almost quit after 6 miles, but I stuck in there and finished the miles that I had planned on running. By the way, Ozawkie isn't a very big town, and I ran on every street (except for some very short dead ends) at least once, and some streets as many as four times. The hill in the picture above was hit four times, twice in each direction. Almost too steep to run down, and on one of the trips up it was too steep for me to run up, so I walked a bit.

I hope you all had a good run and a good Independence Day weekend. I know some in our group (Stormy and Sam and maybe others that I don’t know about) competed in the 50 mile Midnight Madness race. Be sure and congratulate them and ask to see their blisters.

This Saturday is the Poker Run, which will start at Veterans Park at 7:00 a.m. For a minimum five dollar donation you can receive cards during your five mile run, and the ones with the best poker hands at the end will receive prizes. You don’t have to participate in the Poker Run to run with the group, but it is fun, and there is a good chance that you will win something good. I will have to miss the Poker Run because I have a church meeting that I really need to be at. I hope to get in a run sometime in the afternoon or evening.

Tomorrow (Thursday) is our interval workout, starting at RunnersWorld at 5:30 p.m.  I had 20 x 200 meters planned, but Patty says she would rather do 800 meter repeats, so I guess we will decide when we get to the store.

So, I guess I will see you all on Thursday, Monday, or a week from Saturday.

Take it on the run!

TATUR Dave