Spring Running Thread

[rocknrollgirl]

Sounds like a good experience, despite the weather.
And, your plan for sticking to halfs during a stressful year sounds good, too. More people should do this. It avoids burning out and ending up hating something you loved.

That is my biggest fear. I LOVE trail running. I don't want it to become a "thing"

[Catrin]

Sounds like you had fun outside of the cramping. I'm sure you've nailed proper prep for endurance activities in the heat - have you ever tried something like Salt Stick Buffered Electrolyte capsules? They have two versions, one with caffeine. I've found in serious heat it really helps to pop one periodically. They are on the large side, but well worth it.

Focusing on what you love without allowing it to become stressful is a great idea! It's so easy to go there without really realizing it...

[rocknrollgirl]

Catrin,
we have tried everything, endurolytes, S-caps, gatorade, nuun, gatorade and nuun mixed. Usually I am just unhappy and slow i n the heat. My husband gets clobbered. I am at a loss of what to do. I am starting to think it might be a blood sugar thing with him. He rarely takes nutrition on our long runs, and so he is not used to doing it on race day. Yesterday he ran 13 miles of trail on 1 gel. I had 1 before and 3 during. I am thinking this because I gave him a coke after the race when he felt bad and it was immediate improvement.

So it may be a combo of mile dehydration and low blood sugar.

[Catrin]

Catrin,
we have tried everything, endurolytes, S-caps, gatorade, nuun, gatorade and nuun mixed. Usually I am just unhappy and slow i n the heat. My husband gets clobbered. I am at a loss of what to do. I am starting to think it might be a blood sugar thing with him. He rarely takes nutrition on our long runs, and so he is not used to doing it on race day. Yesterday he ran 13 miles of trail on 1 gel. I had 1 before and 3 during. I am thinking this because I gave him a coke after the race when he felt bad and it was immediate improvement.

So it may be a combo of mile dehydration and low blood sugar.

That's not a good combo for sure, and the heat & humidity doesn't help for sure. Hope you can work this out - and hopefully other events this year will be at least a bit better, conditions wise.

BTW, I really enjoy reading about your trail runs, one of those ways I live vicariously though some on this forum. I was able to trail run just long enough to start enjoying it a lot before my knee forced me to stop.

[rocknrollgirl]

That is very sweet, thank-you. I will keep on posting updates. The best thing about trail running aside from being in the woods, is the people I have met on the trail at races. Most of the time just a voice in front or behind for a few miles and then we split up and you meet someone new. The mid packers are the best, Most of us trudging along just happy to be out.

I ran behind a young couple for a few miles yesterday, I called her pink shoe laces. They were doing the full marathon, two loops. Good runner.We split up and I saw her later at an aide station. I yelled out PINK SHOELACES! We meet again. She laughed said it was nice to put a face to a voice.

Then I hooked up behind another young couple doing the full, ran with them for a bit. They are training for a 50 miler in Colorado. Hard core. Nice youngsters.

Then I ran a few miles with a guy probably in his 60's. Interesting guy. Married to an oncologist that does palliative care. Said he had been married to his first wife for 14 years and lost her to cancer and never thought he would find love again. Very sweet guy.

Ran with another young guy for a bit that said his goal this year was not to get lapped by the marathon leader. Said it had happened last year. We talked a lot about cold beer.

Most of the people I chat with are shocked at my age and tell me that they find it inspiring, so that is nice. I tell them it is either keep a race on the schedule of my butt might just land on the couch and stay there!

We are hiking in some nice spots this summer too, so I will post those up.

[OakLeaf]

Nice, RnR. I thought about you in that heat. My friend the serial marathoner took a rare weekend off this week to rest up for the FIVE he's doing next weekend - I happened to run into him at the coffee shop Saturday morning and allowed as how it was a very good weekend to stay home.

My experience is I can't keep up with electrolyte loss even at more normal temperatures. Figure you lose 500-1000 mg sodium for every liter of sweat, and in those temperatures you'll probably sweat three liters an hour if not more. Plus the magnesium and calcium. Any more, I pre-load before an event, and after eight marathons I'm finally feeling like I've got a decent handle on nutrition and hydration to where I'm not in a complete mental fog by the finish, but even that probably wouldn't have been enough in 90°+.

I'm on the email list for Carmichael Training (never been a client of theirs, just got onto their mailing list somehow), and a couple of weeks ago they put up a blog post about nutrition and hydration in the heat. Maybe there's something in here you or your DH can use.

[emily_in_nc]

Nice job, RnR, especially considering the conditions. Heat and humidity make for very tough running. Kudos to you!