A hot weekend at home

I was in my hometown the past weekend for a family baby shower on Sunday but needed to get in a last long run before San Fransisco. I conned my parents into going out with me on their hybrids to my old cross country stomping grounds. Since my youth the park system has been making a bunch of improvements. They finally created an all purpose path that connects the three local metro parks providing about 15 miles of trail one way. They also decided the park pool was not nice enough and they are putting in a fancy new pool with a bigger slide. My how things change. Unfortunately since it is October neither pool was open, which is sad because it was 88 degrees and 90% humidity. Yikes!

The first 8 or so miles of the run were very nice. Many of the sections that I used to think had huge hills were surprisingly lacking in elevation. I guess my hill skills have come along quite a ways since high school, I used to dread those "hills". I just had to laugh because I don't think I could even call most of them hills now.

My dad used his bike computer to try and keep me on pace. I wanted to practice 8:47 miles since that is what I need to run in San Francisco. Unfortunately my ingrained pace is 8:30 and I just couldn't seem to ease it off most of the day. I'm not too worried though because San Francisco does have some sizable hills and between those and walking the water stops I am sure I will be right on target. I've made myself paranoid after looking at the other pacer bios and realizing that of all the pacers from 3:40 through 4:30 I have the slowest PR, most of them having run sub 3 and being in their 40s and 50s. Holy Cow! I know that 3:50 is not an issue for me having run all but one (Cleveland) road marathon under that pace , but there is still that little voice that creates doubt.

About 8 miles in we noticed there were a lot of cars at the park and I realized there was a cross country invitational going on. We had to cross over the race course twice and were able to stop and cheer on my old high school team. After that there is absolutely no shade on the path. It was starting to get pretty hot and my handheld was dry. We went to about 10.5 miles and then headed back. On the way back we stopped to cheer again and refill my handheld. I also spied my old coach and chatted with him a bit. It was nice to see him and hear about the team. Cross country really was a big part of my high school life even though my junior and senior years with him as coach I wasn't as good. (Damn puberty!)

We made our way back through the parks stopping for water a couple of times. The heat was getting to me a bit and although my pace remained the same I wasn't as talkative and all I could think about was water. The only calories I took in were about half a 90 calorie pack of these chocolate covered crisps we got in our goody bag at Akron. They didn't sit so well so I stuck to water after that. I've come a long way from my carbo pro, gels, and Gatorade days. I didn't even think about salt intake during this run, I suppose I should have but I didn't seem to have any problems.

I tried to ease off the pace the whole time but I think subconsciously I probably just wanted to get out of the heat. My mom would keep saying "I think you are going to fast" but I just couldn't slow it down. The few miles where I walked and drank I hit right around 8:47 so at least I knew that I could modify the pace with water stops.

Towards the end of the run I was just ready to be done and of course this was the only area where there was no water for a several mile stretch. Finally got to a water fountain about 2 miles from the car. I just stuck my head under the faucet and let it cool me down. I was drenched in sweat, so gross! At the start of the run I had intended to do a final hill before finishing out the run but when we got to the car I was ready to call it a day. For the first time ever my feet were killing me. Now I know how Daisy feels! My feet felt like I had been beating them with sticks, not doing my usual long run routine. I really do like the new Nike+ Air Pegasus, but I guess I just run too hard in them for the longer runs. They have been great on all my 5 milers downtown.

I rounded out the day with about 21.5 miles with the detours at the cross country invitational and the water stops. Overall pace was a bit too fast (not including stops) around 8:40, with stops it was probably a bit slow so come race day I just have to be right in the middle.

We stopped at the gas station on the way back for a chocolate milk and a bag of ice. I stretched than took a dreaded ice bath. Those things work miracles because afterwards I felt like I hadn't even run. We headed to lunch at the local Mexican restaurant and I pigged out. It was perfect. I just realized I never did eat my left overs and that makes me sad! That food was good!

After lunch we ran some errands and then it was off to Brighton to meet my sister and go to a corn maze as my early Birthday Celebration. It was fun and constructed much better than the maze we went to last year. We must have taken every wrong turn in the maze. Not sure my family really liked it but it was nice of them to indulge me. Then we went out for some diner food and cards. Got to see my sisters apartment and her terror kitty, that cat was absolutely adorable, but apparently she is a fright normally.

Sunday I went for a shorter run with my dad on his bike. We did just shy of 6 miles and the legs felt good. It was just too damn hot to be pleasant. I was drenched within a mile. Pace that day ended up being right on target although not even splits. I started out slow and the last few miles were fast. It was a good recovery run and had it been cooler I probably would have added a few miles but it was just gross out. I was very glad Chicago had shut out before I could register as I couldn't imagine racing 26 in that heat and humidity. Turns out with that debacle I was even gladder than I thought. Congrats to all my gals who made it to the finish before the diversion! And my heart goes out to all of those that weren't able to finish what they started that day.

The baby shower was nice and it was good to see family that I hadn't seen in a long time. Got to ride in the mustang with the top down and just enjoy the beautiful fall colors and the gorgeous sunshine.

It was nice to go home even if just for a few days. I am so lucky to have such great parents. I don't know too many of my friends whose parents would hop on their bikes and ride at a snails pace for 3+ hours in 80+ degrees.

I left my camera at T's after the Akron marathon so I will have to rely on my parents to send me pics from the weekend. I'll edit the post with them when I get them.