Running With Jack

Thursday was another holiday in Germany, I went for about a 22 mile bike ride in the afternoon heat, including about 10K of the 50-mile race route that I will be running on June 23.

Friday I had a day vacation so decided to get in my last long run before tapering. The 50-mile race starts at 5 p.m., when the temperatures are still at their highest. I waited until after lunch when the temperatures were pushing past 90F and drove to Langensteinbach where I planned to run a 10-mile hilly section of the race route and back. This section was mostly asphalt and about 80% out in the open, e.g. no shade. My CamelBak (3-liters) was filled with sports drink and I had been hydrating all morning.

I started immediately with a short hill climb which brought me into one of the few shady sections of the route.

This only lasted about 10 minutes and then I was out on the hot asphalt bike paths.

I kept the pace down and ran the first 9 miles, including all the hills, in about 1-1/2 hours. I ended up taking a wrong turn and got off the race route. I didn’t notice it until about a half mile later - I backtracked and got on course again.

My turnaround point was at the bottom of a long hill and the trek up this grueling hill in the heat of the day sapped a great deal of energy. I took a short walk break on top and ate a sports bar, ate some Pringles and snapped a couple pictures. I remember thinking to myself that I was glad that I would be running downhill and in the night during the race.

I continued on the way, walking a couple steeper hills, and generally not rushing things. With 5K and an empty CamelBak I kept my eyes forward and focused on the closing the distance to my car. I finally arrived at my car after about three hours and 24 minutes, acceptable considering the head and hills.

I had a liter of water in my car, almost hot by now (parking lot was not shaded), but at least wet. The car was like an oven, I opened all the doors and tried to stretch a couple minutes. This didn’t last long, with the temperature soaring over 90F and the sun beating down on the asphalt parking lot, I got in the car and drove home.

I ran somewhere around 30 kilometers, roughly 19 miles, over one of the hilly portions of the 50-mile race route. I also did this during the heat of the day, which closely resembles the conditions that I expect on race day. I did not feel as good as I hoped after the run, I ended up having to crash on the couch for a half-hour after showering and eating. I hope two weeks of tapering will leave me a bit more rested for the race.