It's been quite a week in the DC area, with temperatures topping triple-digits and the heat index hitting 116. Between the humidity and the temperatures, I adjusted my running schedule and start running in the mornings. Although even starting at 6:00am, I had to deal with 90-degree temperatures.
Sunday was definitely an adventure. I was up at 5:30am and meant to get out by 6:00, but by the time I ate and hydrated, I wanted to wait a bit to hit the road. I ended up starting around 7:00, and before I hit a quarter-mile, I was already drenched in sweat. I ran from Vienna to Herndon, and returned; on the out loop I stopped around mile 4.5 to refill my Fuel Belt bottles, and I took a walking break for a minute at mile 8 to get a break from the heat and drink a bit. As the time eclipsed 8:00, on the way back to Vienna the sun was to my front, the shade was disappearing, and the heat was becoming a major factor. I stopped at mile 12 to refill all my bottles again, and I took two quick walking breaks from miles 12-14...I actually started to sweat a little less in those finale miles, a sure sign I was dehydrating even though I was drinking constantly. At the end of the day, I completed the 16 miles, but at what cost? Due to the heat and fatigue factor, my running was definitely sloppy the final stretch, so I felt a tweak in my left knee due no doubt to poor form. It certainly was neither my best run nor my best idea to be out that long in extreme heat....I'm definitely never running the Badwater Ultramarathon.
Week 6 Summary - (14 Weeks to Go) | |
| Wed | 8 mi |
| Thurs | 4 mi |
| Sat | 8 mi |
| Sun | 16 mi (10 mi pavement, 6 mi trail running) |
Total Week's Mileage: 36 miles | |
For total 20-week training plan from previous blog posting: Click here.
