Weekend Running Just May Kill Me


Heat I can do but heat coupled with insane humidity is torture! After my trip in California, I was excited to come back to NYC and cooler pre-fall temperatures. BOY WAS I SURPRISED WHEN I GOT OFF THE AIRPLANE AND WALKED INTO A HUMID FIRERY INFERNO. What the hell happened? Where is the light jacket weather? 

Running weather! Wherefore art thou running weather? 

Fridays are normally my rest day but because I was on a red eye that had to make an emergency landing Tuesday night, my Coach Josh swapped Friday for Wednesday so I can re-hydrate, rest, and acclimate to life in this overwhelming city. I had to shoot my final footage for a new series coming to Women's Running this Tuesday called Project Start with my friend POW and run 6.2 miles so POW graciously offered to kill two birds with one stone and do both at the same time. IT WAS GROSS OUT and after Thursdays track session, my legs were dead. But POW pushed me through it and I hoped and prayed that I'd feel recovered enough to power through my twenty mile long run on Saturday.

That didn't happen. When I started around 8:30, it was 80% humidity and 80 something degrees. The first few miles are always tough but I felt like I was moving through quick sand. I broke the run up into four different five mile segments. Chunking my long runs always helps me push harder than I would if I were to just count down the miles one by one.

Even though it was hot, I was enjoying myself. I listened to three different Ted Radio Hour podcasts WHICH IS MY FAVORITE PODCAST and even though I wasn't moving as quickly as I would have liked, I was getting it done. 

That was until about mile 16. I took in more than enough fluid so I have no idea what happened. I got dizzy, my head started pounding and I started taking walking breaks to see if my headache would go away. Around mile 18, I felt like I was going to faint so I sat down, let my heart rate come down, and then stupidly got up to keep going. It happened again about a half mile later. I should have stopped but for some reason, I was hellbent on banging out the entire 20 miles. I almost fainted three different times. It was not fun but I somehow managed to survive. 

It's hard not to compare myself to other NYC runners who post their long run times on social media. When I see they were able to push themselves in the heat, I feel defeated. I know it's a black hole to compare yourself but I'm human and I have to be honest with you. I do it too. That's one of the reasons why I don't really share my pace or times with you guys. I don't want anyone comparing their progress to mine. That's the down side to social media. Don't compare yourself to other runners! It's a dead end. 

So that happened! I vaguely remember Josh telling me that this week is going to be a bit of a taper as I get ready to race Rock n Roll Philly this coming weekend. I'm nervous about the heat. I started thinking about dropping out when I saw that it's supposed to be hot. Josh put the kibosh on that and pretty much told me that I'm being dramatic. Which I am. And that's why Josh is here, to remind me that I can't always run in perfect circumstances. I'm running Philly to practice my race day strategy, mental game, and fueling. So that will be fun! NO REGRETS! NO REGRETS! NO REGRETS!

Onwards and forwards! I've worked too hard to let a little heat do me in.