Monday, Aug. 20, 2007

I just about decided not to continue this little exercise, but I couldn't bring myself to just dump the whole thing, and I still have some people who ask me how my training is going. There's probably no better method of keeping widely scattered group of interested persons up to date, so I think I'll try to get back into some kind of regular posting again.
Besides being a good way to communicate, blogging is an effective analytical tool, too. As I "talk" things out here, I'm forced to think about what I'm doing, how I'm training, perhaps understand why things work or don't work.
There's a therapeutic facet, too. I enjoy talking about running and get a lift from doing it, but I am self-conscious about talking about my training with most non-runners. I imagine they view me as self-centered and the subject as boring. Here, though, I can carry on as much as I like, and those who aren't interested can just skip on past me and head out to YouTube or Comedy Central, where the real fun is.
I'm currently training for my 4th marathon - this one in Kansas City on Oct. 20. Because I picked a fall marathon, it means that I have to train during the hottest months of the year. I may never do this again. I have proven over and over to myself that I'm not a hot-weather performer. Some of the longer runs - all started before dawn - have been real challenges once the sun has gotten above the trees. Due to the heat and humidity, I haven't finished strongly in any 20-mile training run and most 18-milers. I do OK as long as the sun is not out, but when it shines, I don't.
As a result, I've started to get a pretty good read on my sweat rate. It's high. I will usually lose 10 pounds - all water - on any run of 13-20 miles when the temperature is 80 to start and climbing and the humidity is high. Those weather conditions describe virtually every run I've done in August.
Of course, I drink a lot of sports drink and water on these runs, but even when I'm pounding down the fluids it seems I barely influence the weight loss. I once drank 80 fl. oz. during a 20 mile run and still finished 5.5 lbs. lighter than when I left. There's only so much you can carry, and only so much you can drink, you know?
On my last 20-mile run, I drank copious amounts of fluids before leaving the house, wore a cap with a scarf shading my neck, put ice in another scarf and tied it around my neck, carried fluids and circled back to the car to get more. I finished 13 strong, but the sun had come out by then, and all the juices were cooked out of my body at 16. I was reduced to run/walk (50-50) for the last four.
It'll no doubt be much cooler on Oct. 20, so whatever I can endure now will only make me stronger then.
In coming days I'll discuss my new 3-days-a-week training program, and injuries.