Month: July 2010

98 degrees.
98 degrees.
98 degrees.
But I did it.

Today I got through Central Park in late afternoon heat in a pretty decent time. I did one loop (6.33 miles) in 48:54, which considering the heat is pretty rockstar, in my opinion. I had set out to do 8+ miles, but rather suddenly just before finishing my loop my body started tanking. Also, around that time, I was getting cramps in my left ribcage, which was signalling me that maybe I had lost potassium and needed some. All day I was wanting to the run in this heat, and my only sadness is that it didn’t happen in 102-degree heat. But I was stuck on set, so what can I say.

Other than the heat, nothing much else to report. My right ankle/leg is still limpy when I start runs, but it adjusts during the run and is fine. I also caught a guy who had passed me in his running gloves or whatever those toey running shoes are called. I stopped for water twice.

Oh: And this is my first NYC Marathon training run! Training started yesterday with a day off. 🙂

Today’s long run–13.93 in Central Park, but essentially 14+ miles because Garmin got squirrelly on Great Hill (check the map below)–was done in tolerable summer heat. I set out to do this distance in under 1:50:00, and I accomplished that goal! That left me pretty happy.

Body things are the first thing to report. My limpy right leg again turns fine when I run, excepting the very beginning of runs when it is adjusting. I started to wonder if it was a shoe thing. My huge blister on my left foot had largely healed so I took off the skin last night, and it doesn’t seem to have blistered up more. However, my toes on that foot developed tiny blisters (again), along with a bloody toe because of a lapsed pedicure I couldn’t get yesterday. (My toes mold to each other, and it seems that one’s nail gouged the skin of its neighbor. No pain.)

But apart from the above, I felt pretty good. I didn’t try to set any time records–only hopefully run under 1:50. In doing that distance in 1:47:34, I did 7:43s, which was better than what I set for my Virtual Runner (7:45s).

Part of my success is probably attributable to taking water breaks at fountains in the park. I probably stopped about 5 times for water, for probably not more than 30 seconds or so. I have realized that staying hydrated aids my running performance, and without it, my performance drops off. However, despite hydrating, I did seem to ride dehydration a bit given some chills I experienced which seem to me to signal dehydration. I had (water-soaked) pasta Thursday night for dinner, then on Friday for late lunch/early dinner, and tried to keep hydrated on set during an overnight shoot I did into early this morning, and drank more than a bottled water before bed last night at 4:30am-ish. I was partially trying to counteract a Redline 7-hour energy shot I mostly consumed to make it through the shoot. (It didn’t pain my kidneys in the run.)

I was awakened just after 9am by the postman and decided to get up for my long run rather than sleep in. Now, I may nap. I had a bit of energy after my run so I hit the gym to do abs, glutes, arms, back, and pecs, then just had some salmon sushi, chocolate milk, and Naked Chai Spiced Cider.

I will deserve this pedicure later today if I can get it in.

EDIT: I found out that a) I actually did develop a blister in my big-blister section, and b) I dropped 5 lbs. today even with hydration! It was a very sunny day and where there was sun, there was intense sun.

Today’s run was 74 degrees, very sunny, and nice. I felt a little slow from yesterday’s 8.11-miler since I didn’t get adequate rest between the runs, but I still made progress. I did a loop of Central Park (6.29 miles) in 46:20, which equated to 7:22s, which suggests to me I’ve progressed a bit from doing 7:25s.

I was planning on tanning with Elizabeth after the run so I wore shorter shorts than usual. This meant no bike shorts under my running shorts, which also meant thigh chafing. OUCH! I got home and put some aloe on the red areas. TRIPLE OUCH! That stuff stung.

I also brought my phone with me in case I got a casting call. Nothing! Though I did get some calls when tanning.

Nothing much to report though. My last full mile was my fastest (7:10), probably because of someone I was trying to catch. My other miles were somewhat consistent. My limpy right ankle area wasn’t much of a problem once I got running, and even post-run it wasn’t much of a problem.

I’m eating my pasta right now as I type this, in preparation for a long run on Saturday and in light of a tough work schedule tomorrow that will probably make eating pasta “impastable.”