August, hot August

Summary of the last few weeks:  A week after running an 18 miler, I did my 20 mile run.  Just prior to that (and just after my 18 miler) I did an 8, 2, 4, & 4 mile runs, with a rest day just after the 18’er and just prior to the 20’er.  I may have over done the running but until that point I felt really strong.  Bottom line:  I had to walk the better part of the last 2 miles of that 20 miler.  And it was a real confidence killer, like how the hell am I going to go 26.2 miles?

One of the bummers about the run was that it was raining/lightning about the time that I was wanting to start my run (~6:30AM) and I had to wait until almost 8:30AM to start.  The temperature was ok (70’s), but as the sun rose, both the temp and the humidity skyrocketed. The heat/humidity may have been a factor in my lack of performance even though I tried to do a good job watching my fueling and water/Gatorade intake.  I even tried walking/resting by my truck on every 2.5 mile lap.  Nonetheless, by the time that last lap came up, I was pretty much done and was walking more than running the last couple of miles.  I was pretty bummed out.  But I did the distance. 

Another thing that I learned is how hot my legs get.  I’ve been wearing longish running shorts that fall just short of my knee – in other words, they aren’t the short-short running shorts that sprinters and “real-athletes” wear.  But as I run these longer distances, my legs get very toasty – and sweaty – to the point that the shorts material is sticking uncomfortably to my legs.  I try to roll them up and tuck them into the inner lining, but it becomes a constant bother as they tend to un-roll as I run.  I need to get myself a pair of real running shorts….

In my angst and distress of a less than optimal 20 mile run, I wanted to try running the 20’er again the following week to prove to myself that I could do it (instead of taking a “step-back” week – where the longest run would only be ~12 miles) .  But I went online to one of the active.com community boards asking if it would be prudent for me to go for another 20 miler.  All of the responses were a resounding “no, don’t do it – take the step-back week – you’ll be fine”.  One guy said that in running there are good, bad, and horrible running days.  I had had a “bad” day.  If I had quit the run altogether, then it would have been a “horrible” day, with the point being that I did complete the 20 miles, even though I had to walk some of it.  K – ‘nuff said, I did as suggested and had an easy week, doing a couple of 5 milers, a 13’er, and a 6’er.  Felt pretty good.

The week after that has been a really easy week as I prep for the Milford 30K (18.5 miles) event.  This is a hilly and rolly event in the country about 40 minutes from Ann Arbor – mostly dirt roads and a little bit of asphalt.  It’s billed as a great pre-Chicago Marathon run.  My left knee and ankle have been feeling a little weird so I’ve taken it extra easy, and have only done two short runs (a 4 and a 3 miler) and have been doing the stairs in my house to help strengthen and condition my legs.  I decided prior to the last 3 miler that the new orthotics that Brad got me may be what is bothering my knee and ankle, so I yanked them out of my running shoes.  If I can find my old orthotics I’ll do the 30K in those, otherwise I’ll go without.

Given my last couple of weeks, my confidence is not great and I need to get myself psyched up for it.  Even more special, the weather has given us a little heat spike (in the 90’s) and the promise of rain on the day of the event.  Should be a hoot!

5 weeks until Chicago….