The Heat is on!

Not really sure how to dive in to my next post.  That's the dangerous thing when you mix blogging with running, you want to have a "big update", a race report on some crazy ultra, travel run, or big PR.  Sometimes there isn't really much to talk about.  I run a lot, bike some, oh and try to write about it when something semi-significant happens.  This can make you want to race when you shouldn't be racing, and schedule events when you shouldn't have anything on the horizon.

I've been back almost 3 weeks from Telluride, CO and I'll tell you this much: its really humid out now.  This shouldn't come as a newsflash to anyone on the east coast, but it came as kind of a shock at first.  Out in the the San Juan Mountains I was treated to hot (but dry!) days, followed by cool nights and early mornings.  I was lucky enough not to experience a single rainy day as well.  After I got back I think it rained almost every day for a week, and then got swealteringly hot and humid.  D.C. is a swamp.  This is just reality for 2-3 weeks every summer.  You can complain about it all you want, but you better just embrace it, train in it, and get ready for the cool, dry weather that fall brings.  I do feel somewhat fortunate to only have to deal with it for a few weeks every year - if you live anywhere south of the Carolinas its basically like this for 3 months straight.  No thanks.

Abbey Sez: Its too hot out!!

Legging it out at the 4.5km mark of a
hot and humid 5k.

So my weeks have shaped up pretty well actually.  I still can't say in good faith that I'm feeling 100%, but pretty darn close.  Been running or resting on Mondays, biking Tuesdays, doing a hill ride or running longish Wednesdays, mid-run at my Fun Run Thursdays, Long run Saturdays, and a 40-50 mile bike ride Sundays.  Though I skipped the 4 miler race I had planned on doing, I got in a hot & sweaty 5k on last Wednesday.  I used this as a chance to run a little faster than normal and let loose the last half mile.  Again, felt good (maybe even great) but not perfect.

On the plus side, I really feel like I'm still quite fit even though I took a bit of a hiatus from running after Northface, and since have only been doing low mileage (I consider 20-30 miles per week low).  I attribute this almost in full to all the cycling I have been getting in, exclusively earlier and since still about 50% of my workouts have been on the bike.  Biking is also much easier (or at least more forgiving) in the heat, since you are moving, have a breeze to cool you down, and can carry 2 huge bottles of fluids.  Okay, a breeze isn't always favorable as riding into the wind is insanely hard, but staying moving at least keeps you from overheating.

This is the face of trail running in D.C.
humidity.  Sweaty, tired and discheveled -
but still with a grin.

After feeling fit as a fiddle and incredible in my 15 mile long run last weekend I decided that considering the Dahlgren trail 50k isn't out of the question.  Saturday I managed to get my running group started early so I could pound out 16 miles on the C&O canal tow path, and then stubbornly continue on for 7 more miles on one of my favorite loops of trails inside of D.C.  The result: 23 miles covered, 3.5 hours of extremely sweaty running, over 6 liters of nuun infused water consumed, and one very tired runner.  If I'm still feeling pain free after an easy run Monday I'm signing up for Dahlgren.  I have 2 weeks to taper.  The biggest issue is dealing with the heat, knowing how to drink on the run, and starting slow (and sticking to that pace).  I think I've got the bases covered.

When I ran Dahlgren last year it wasn't a terrific race, but still a solid and fun 50k during summer.  Expect it to be hot, but also flat so still a worthy PR for a 50k.  Running it last summer was my first 50k so I was still getting adjusted to all things trail and ultra running.  I also took a wrong turn at one point which added to my time, so I feel the need to redeem myself this year.

Um, this is the trail right?!  Okay, I know its the trail :)  In fact, this is at a point in D.C. after the Battery Kemble trail
cross over MacArthur Ave, down a steep ravine, and then passes under a highway to reach the Fletcher's Boathouse
area (note: functioning water fountain at Fletcher's!)

Vienna, a cute town along the W&OD trail.

Sundays I have been pretty good about getting out on the bike.  At first I was aiming at getting a lot of miles in, 4 or 5 hours on the bike makes for great Ultra training, but now that I'm back running more I have been doing shorter, more intense rides.  My go-to Sunday ride is hosted by Revolution Cycles in Clarendon.  We ride down to Georgetown to pick up more people, and then do a 30 mile loop through Maryland.

They split the ride up into rider levels of A, B, and (sometimes) C.  C riders are typically beginners and average below 16 MPH on flat roads.  The B group is where it picks up a bit, probably averaging 18-20 MPH on flat roads.  I started riding with the B group to get the hang of things but worked my way to the front and wanted something more intense.  After getting badly dropped by the A group my first time out I was hesitant to try it again.  Sunday morning I did end up going out with the A group and had an awesome, intense and fast ride.  This is what I really want out of cycling, especially if I'm only doing 30-40 miles.  Don't let the rider classifications fool you, the A groups likes to haul; we were probably averaging 25 MPH on flat roads and going close to 30 in some sections.  I would still like to get in some long, steady miles (60-80 miles would be nice) but I'll save those for weekends that don't feature a 3 and a half hour running death march through DC heat.

I am also back to toying with the idea of doing a Tri. My goal would be an Iron Man but I'm not stupid so I would attempt a few shorter distances first to get my feet wet (no pun intended).  I could see maybe doing a Sprint Distance next Spring, using summer to prepare for a Half Iron Man, and then committing to a full Iron Man a year later.  This would all have to somehow work around my Ultra aspirations, namely the races in the Lynchburg Ultra Series, and a Marathon (or two?) next year.  So many goals, so little time!  Runners (and all endurance athletes) have to deal with this dilemma.  I would also like to set some new PRs in shorter distances (5k, 10k, 10 miler and half marathon) but I've decided to leave that until a time when I have much less free time since the time required is far less than to prepare for the really long distance events.

There is nothing "small" about this!

Okay, this is off the wall and has nothing to do with running but I recently went to the movies and got a drink at the concessions (which I almost never do).  I got a small - this is nothing but small! Shown next to a dime for scale.  Actually it was an Icee :)

Man, gotta go run and burn off all that sugar right?!