Hot in Stockton

According to the website Weather Underground ( http://www.wunderground.com ), the high temperature at Barb's Race last year was 77 degrees. How could this be? I felt like I was melting during the run! I even ran a heat index calculator based on the recorded heat and humidity and there was no difference. I was expecting to see something like 77 degrees...feels like 97. Nope!

This can't be right!

My wave started at 8:33am last year. My time for the race was 6:02...this means I finished the race at approximately 2:35pm. The temp didn't peak until 4pm, so it was a few degrees cooler when I was running...probably between 73-75 degrees...and I still felt hot. I was dumping ice in my top and running through the hose whenever it was offered by a volunteer.

I guess this is why I have been so concerned with acclimating to the heat this year. At first I wasn't sure if it was working, but today's run made me feel a little better about my efforts. Today and last Tuesday were both 91 degrees at the time of my run (according to Garmin), so there was no variable there. I started both runs after work and followed the same basic route. Today's pace was 11 seconds a mile quicker. My average HR was lower today, probably because I worked at keeping it in check...even when that meant starting off at a slower pace.

After my run, I was talking to HS about my performance and the upcoming race. He remarked "I thought you weren't nervous about the race." I explained that I wasn't nervous like I was last year...heck, last year I was worried about things like completing the swim, I was worried about riding my bike up Chalk Hill, I was worried what two separate transition areas would be like. The least of my worries last year was the run. I knew I could do 13.1 miles.

This year is completely different. I'm quite confident about the race aspects that scared me last year. However, the run is the great unknown that could potentially spoil a good swim and a good bike split. If my Achilles acts up or I wilt like I did last year, I may fall short of my goal.

Staying Positive

When I'm out on a run in the heat and I'm cursing because my pace seems off, I remind myself that this is me running with sore legs...this is me running with tired legs...this is me running after a day of work...this is me running in 90+ heat...on race day it will be a completely different story. On race day I will be recovered and ready to go.  Last year my running pace was 9:45 and that was after a 1.2 mile swim and a 56 mile bike ride. I know I will be able to do the same or better this year. I really need to cut myself some slack in regards to these training runs. After Sunday...things are going to start to get a lot easier ;-)