What doesn't kill you, makes you stronger

Yesterday was probably my most difficult training day I've ever put myself through. My training plan called for 120miles followed by a 12 mile run. With temperatures expected to be in the mid to high 90s and stifling humidity, I decided to limit the run to 10 miles.

I started my bike ride at 6:15am in the fog. Sunglasses beaded with condensation and I was soaked 20 miles into the ride due to the 90% humidity. However, the temperatures were not too bad and the sun was held back for a while due to the fog. About 50 miles in, the sun broke through and the temperatures rose quickly. At mile 90, I returned home to refill my water bottles and pick up a new bottle to put on the run course.

Leaving from my house, the last 30 miles were a hilly familiar loop, but they had roughed-up some of my favorite roads with tar and gravel to improve traction for cars. This drives me crazy, because I really excel on smooth roads - oh well.

Returning home the second time around 1:30pm after finishing 122 miles on the bike, it took a tremendous amount of will power to put on my running shoes and begin my 10 mile run.

Temperatures were over 95 degrees, humidity was high and there was no breeze to speak of. The sun burned my skin even with 70 sun protection on. My pace was too fast from the start and I would pay for it later. I carried a 16 oz bottle with Heed, but realized about 4 miles in that I was going to run out well before I got to bottle number 2. Fortunately I saw a couple of guys at a soccer field with a cooler on their golf cart and asked for some water and they obliged.

My body would not cool off and my heart rate was hanging around 160, not matter how much I slowed. I ran primarily in the shade, but the moments in the sun were brutal and I couldn't help but worry about how much sun I would have to deal with in Hawaii.

Forcing myself to run (not walk) until I got to my second bottle allowed me to reach mile 7, but I still had 4 miles to go (turns out to be an 11 mile course I selected). I told myself I could run one more mile, and after suffering through that mile, I decided I pushed myself to run just one more, and then another until I reached 10 miles. At that point I decided to walk/run up Hillsdale, finishing 11 miles in 1:30 - ouch.

I can only hope the conditions in Hawaii aren't quite so brutal. They say the average high is around 83, but running through the lava fields makes it seem much hotter. I also hope I get a breeze off the ocean, but I'm not counting on the shade.

As they say, what doesn't kill you, makes you stronger.