Saturday, December 24, 2005

A 'Bah Humbug' long run

Marathon Training update - week 3 of 18 weeks

Session - long run

The temperature when I started this morning at 6am was 29*C (84*F) and stayed that way for the entire miserable run. I had set Garmin Girl virtual training partner mode on for 5.30min kms and for the first couple of kilometres I was behind. However I gradually caught up and overtook Garmin Girl and by about 10km was about 500m ahead. However I was feeling very ordinary - this should have set off warning bells but didn't...

Anyway by about 15km little hills were beginning to feel like mountains, the sun was blazing down from a cloudless sky, and I was starting to feel cold - bizarre. I had goosebumps but I was also hot and sweaty. This was about when the walk a bit, run a bit strategy kicked in.

At 18km I switched off the virtual partner mode - I didn't need to see how quickly the gap was closing between me and Garmin Girl. This was not helping my rapidly flagging sense of humour. My ipod was also taunting me by playing such songs as DOA by the Foo Fighters, I Feel Good by James Brown and We Are The Champions by Queen (I was feeling anything but, at this stage).

20km and I had run out of water. The original plan was to run 24km but that was not going to happen today. I walked, shuffled my way home and the stats tell the sad story.

Distance - 22.8km
Time taken - 2hr 12.06min
Av pace - 5.46min/km
AHR - 162; MHR - 189
Calories - 1,283

Have a happy and safe Christmas and a wonderful new year!

9 comments:

Lulu said...

I'm sure it was just the heat and you'll be back to normal when it cools down a bit. It's a strange feeling that; feeling cold even though you know you're hot. I think it's the sign of dehydration.

Have a lovely Chrissie day!

Katie said...

Definately the heat!!! YOu were overheating if your body was cold and goosebumps... on days like that it is all about survival and finishing. Have alook at my long run.... about the same :)

Have fun tommorow... hope santa is good.

Robert Song said...

I can feel your pain. I went through a similiar type run at Kurrawa a couple of weeks back.

Had to set off at 4:30am this morning to avoid the heat. These sorts of conditions are not good for marathon training.

Lets hope it cools down soon and you recover OK from the run.

Jen said...

It was really tough conditions in Sydney this morning; can't imagine what it would have been like for you.

I'm sure it was just the weather and dehydration - feeling cold in this weather really isn't a good sign.

Merry Christmas :-)

Jxx

2P said...

Sounds like a pretty solid effort in harsh conditions CJ (though be glad your not in Sydney!!).

Glad to hear you gave Garmin Girl a whoopin at least for a while ;-)

Have a terrific Christmas CJ.

Cheers, 2P :-)

Wobbly man said...

Wow, running that far in heat like that - and to still maintain a great average pace for the long run (well it would be for me anyway). That is a mighty effort! Enjoy your Christmas CJ (and family).

Bennyr said...

Yuck. Smells heat related to me.

Runs like that suck. Hope your Christmas is much better.

Cheers,
Ben

Friar said...

Well, the conditions around Stromlo Forest were similar from 10:30 am until 12 noon approx.

Tough to run in those conditions.

Have a good Christmas, and hope you get a lot better soon.

Rae said...

84, wow! The change of seasons is so tough to get used to, it makes me laugh to think how 4 Fuel Belt bottles gets me through about 5-6 miles in the summer and right now I can go about 12 with the same amount of water!

Have a VERY merry Christmas! Or I guess it's almost over already down there!!