Surviving July

Every day in July was above 100° F. In fact there were only 5 days in the month where the high was below 106° F and we had 12 days where it got to 110° F or higher! I was nervous about this month long before I moved here. Running and desert heat is just a bad combination. Yet I survived.  I managed to run 141 miles this month. I won't say that I thrived because that would be a stretch. I slogged through some miserable hot runs, I plodded along on the treadmill, and drank gallons of water. Here are the four things that helped me survive the month:

1. Get out of town.
I spent the first few days of the month in Canada (and got one run in after my fishing trip), and I spent 6 days in San Diego for work. I made sure to run each day in San Diego and enjoy the cool weather. These brief respites from the heat were mentally necessary. Not only did the cooler temperatures feel great, they let me run outside without feeling like I was being cooked alive.

Running Mission Trails in San Diego

2. Embrace the treadmill
Maybe embrace is too strong a word. Mentally I have come to accept the necessity of the treadmill. But I still loathe the machine. Given the choice I'd rather be a hamster then not run at all.  I logged most of my miles in July on the treadmill. On a positive note I found that there is a certain brand of treadmill called Woodway that actually feels pretty good. They have two of them at the gym on base. Their unique slat belt tread actually feels like running on the road. If you ever see one I highly encourage you to run on it you should give it a try if you can't run outside.

I have a great treadmill running partner!

3. Ditch the long-run
I normally do a 10 mile run once a week. I love this routine because it gets me a lot in terms of fitness and endurance and it also gives me a great sense of accomplishment every week. I only did one 10 mile run this month and it was while I was in San Diego. While I miss the long-run and can't wait to to incorporate it back in my routine, I've accepted that I just have to let it go in these conditions. There is a time for everything and right now it's not time to run 10 miles. 

No big runs but at least I caught a big fish.

The Heat Is On

Before you can read this post you must press play on the video. It'll get you in the right frame of mind. Seriously, press play. Then scroll down.

I hope you pressed play. So...the heat is on here in Yuma. And yes, it is a dry heat. But if I hear that one more time I might go crazy. When it's 120° it doesn't matter if it's dry, it's HOT. Sure, when it's 98° and 85% humidity I don't want to run in that either. What makes the Arizona heat different is the sun. The UV index is consistently in the 9-11 range. This basically means you are being fried by the sun. Take a look at my forecast. Now tell me it's a dry heat...I dare you.

I've come up with a few strategies to run in the heat. First, don't. Second, run on a treadmill, and third, run early before the sun comes out to kill you. Of these strategies number two is my go to choice. I'm not much of a morning runner and I feel weird when I can't run at all so I don't have much of a choice. Unfortunately I don't like treadmills much. I had to comes to terms with the treadmill when I was deployed on the ship. It was either run on the mill or not at all. I choose the mill. I find running much easier physically on the treadmill, but much more difficult mentally. 

I don't listen to music when I run outside, but I do when on the 'mill. Don't let my smile fool you, I hate this machine.

The perplexing challenge I have is how to get in my long run day. Since January I've consistently done one run of at least 10 miles per week. This is something I've come to enjoy. It also gives me a great sense of accomplishment on top of giving me a fitness boost with more endurance. I don't think I can do 10 on a treadmill, that's my problem. Last week I got up early and knocked it out. That's how I re-discovered that I'm not a morning runner. I also ate no breakfast before the run so that' didn't help. My body didn't wake up enough to know it was hungry until about mile 7.

So what do you do in the summer? Do you embrace the treadmill or just go early in the morning? I'm just hoping that the heat in the summer is a fair trade-off for 9 months of perfect running weather here in the desert. For now....the heat is on. 

Heat Acclimation

I've noticed a two-fold phenomenon since I've moved to the desert. First, most of my runs have been slower. Second, when I've been able to run in cooler temperatures (like in San Diego) my pace for the same effort level is significantly faster.

This is me running near the ocean in San Diego. I was rather easily doing a 7:15 mile/pace for 10k due to the cooler temperatures and benefits of heat training.

This makes sense in a lot of ways. Running in hot weather impacts performance. The hotter it is, the slower you go. If you tuned in for the US Olympic Marathon trials in February you probably saw the athletes comment about how the heat made it a slow race. The temperatures for that day in LA reached into the mid 70's. If you live in the Arizona desert, like me, mid 70's sounds anything but hot. But these athletes are not just being divas, the science shows that temperature above 60° start to impact running performance. This is why, for example, the Berlin marathon has hosted the last 6 men's marathon records. Berlin is a flat course, but it is also a cool course. The average temperature for the Berlin marathon is between 53-64°, right in the 60° sweet spot.

So why can I run faster in San Diego than Yuma? It's the heat. The heat slows me down, and the cool weather lets me run my best. But there is one more thing going on. I've been running outside in the heat for almost three months. I've logged about 380 miles since moving to the desert. I've run outside even when it's been in the 90's in the full sun. My body has become used to the heat and has gained an advantage from it.

Heat acclimation is a real thing, science proves it! A study in 2010 exposed 10 cyclists to heat when they trained for 10 days. The scientists then measured how the cyclists performed in cool conditions. They had a control group as well. The group that went through heat acclimation performed 7% better in cool conditions after just 10 heat acclimation exposures. That's a HUGE gain! Think about it; if you run an 8:00 min mile and then get a benefit of 7% in your performance you can run a 7:26 mile for the same effort! That's shaving 34 seconds off your mile time just by doing 10 sessions in the heat!

Why does training in the heat work? Heat acclimation improves the body’s ability to control body temperature, improves sweating and increases blood flow through the skin, and expands blood volume allowing the heart to pump more blood to muscles, organs and the skin as needed. In other words you become a super running machine. And unlike training at high altitude you get the benefit of heat training in as little as 10 sessions.

This is what you will look like after doing heat training; a super running machine.

Another study also concluded that the heat may produce changes in the exercising muscle, including enzymatic changes that could improve the amount of work done by the muscle.

But there are dangers. Overheating and heat stroke are very real and dangerous concerns. Dehydration can also sideline you and ruin your day. Some signs of overheating to watch out for include:

• If you are no longer sweating
• Feeling very thirsty
• Feeling sick to your stomach
• Headache
• Feeling dizzy
• Feeling a chill with goosebumps on your skin 

If you feel any of these symptoms, it's time to stop and cool off.  It's not worth damaging your body to train in the heat.

I, unfortunately, have no choice but to 'heat train'. It's just the norm living in the hot desert. If you decide to give it a go here are three tips that will help.

First, hydrate a ton before you go and as you go. Drinking water cools you off and keeps you going.

Second, slow your pace down. The slowing of your pace allows more blood to flow near your skin where it is cooled off by sweat. The point is not to go fast. You will get the benefit of heat training even if you are running at a very slow pace. Let go of any pace expectations.

Third, stay alert for signs of overheating. It's not worth damaging yourself to train in the heat.

I've personally seen the benefit from running in the heat, but it comes at a cost; lots of sweat and suffering!

Telegraph Pass

Believe it or not there are mountains surrounding the Yuma valley. On one mountain is a peak called Telegraph pass (I know a pass is not normally a peak, but that's what they call it). It's part of the Gila Ridge and it is a popular hiking spot for locals and visitors alike.

It's only 0.8 miles to go from the gate at the base to the top but it is incredibly steep. I thought it would be fun to make this climb part of my long run day. So I drove out towards the range and parked near the access road. I calculated that if I ran from my car to the top and back it would be about 10 miles (it actually was 11!). And most of that would be on the rocky path leading up to the base of the mountain.

It was warm when I took off. Most of my run was in the low 80's with full sun. I brought my hip water bottles which gave me about 18 oz of water. I wish I had also brought my handheld water (learning). I also brought no food.

The path was way more rocky and rough that I anticipated. I had to be careful not to roll an ankle as I tried to run. Running may be a stretch. It was more of a trot. I kept my feet moving quickly, keeping my steps per minute high. This is a good strategy over rough terrain. It prevents you from overextending and possibly falling or getting injured.

I finally got to the gate and saw that the path to the top has very nice pavement. However, it looked too steep for me to run. But I went ahead and tried to run for a bit.

The rusty gate the marks the start of the ascent.

My plan to run to the top went out the window pretty quickly. Even though the 0.8 miles from the gate to the top was paved it was way too steep for me to run. I'm just not in hill shape, let alone a hill with an 20% grade. So I walked. The view from the top was impressive to say the least!

The path is paved, just steep.

Almost to the top!

You can see the green irrigated fields below.

You can see the path winding up to the top.

What's great about this trail is you don't have to run it. You can park near the gate and make it about a 4-5 mile round trip hike. Though steep, it is accessible for people of all abilities. I hope to make it back and actually run up it at some point. I did run on the way down and my legs were sores for days because of the beating they received.

My mile splits were nothing impressive but I was just out enjoying the scenery. It's a good reminder to not pace get in the way of actually enjoying what you are doing. The only bummer is I will have to wait until the weather gets cooler to try again. I don't think I can carry enough water with me to do this in the summer.

Desert Running

I've got almost 250 miles under my belt since moving to Yuma. Running in the desert is much different than running in Virginia. The adjustment to the heat, the dry air, and the sun has not been easy. My body has definitely felt the difference and many runs that were supposed to be 'easy' were in fact hard because of the new conditions. A few things I've learned so far include:

1) Cover up. The sun is what makes everything hot. Wearing a T-shirt is better than a tanktop. Wearing a hat is almost a must. And sunglasses make the sun bearable. I don't leave for a run now without a hat and sunglasses.

Mistake! I didn't wear a hat or glasses on this run. I paid for it.

2) Water is my friend. Almost every run I bring water. Unless it is cool, early in the day, or less than 5 miles, I bring water. Yes, it's annoying to carry water but it is necessary. Sometimes it's just a mental help. Knowing I can wet my mouth as it gets dry becomes like a security blanket. I've been using this handheld water bottle made by Nathan because it is less annoying than a hip one. Full review coming soon.

3) Take it easy. When it's hot, I just have to go slower. My body is experiencing more stress and it's not fair to expect it to preform the same when I'm working hard to stay cool. This is hard because I want to be able to run the same as when the conditions are perfect. But training in the heat actually has its benefits. It has the same effect on your body as training at altitude.

"Training in the heat incurs several physiological adaptations, known as heat acclimation. One of the primary adaptations to heat acclimation is an increase in blood plasma volume. Just as altitude stimulates your body to produce more red blood cells, heat stress stimulates your body to produce more blood plasma. A higher plasma volume enhances circulation, which improves the delivery of oxygen to muscles. The result is a greater cardiac output, and higher VO2max at a given effort level, enhancing endurance performance." (source)
 

4) The desert is beautiful. I've seen a roadrunner, a burrowing owl, a snake, and lots of cactus. The desert is a very pretty place and it's worth stopping (in the shade) and enjoying the scenery.

A hummingbird best.

5) Tacos are recovery food! Sketchy street vendors make the best tacos. And around Yuma we have lots of places to choose from. After a run, it's a good idea to grab a cerveza with lime and some carne asade tacos with fresh pico. You can thank me later.

Race Report: St. Patrick's Day 5k

Jen found a local 5k that was put on by Yuma Desert Runners and suggested I run it. We've been in Arizona a week now and a race sounded fun. With all the moving, driving, and bad eating the last few weeks I must admit I wasn't feeling in top PR shape. Even though I PR'd a week ago, I felt much different this week. On top of that my youngest got the stomach bug on Monday. And while I didn't throw up like he did, I definitely felt 'off' and was fighting the same bug. Fortunately I felt normal again Thursday morning. My last race I had the awesome advantage of having my Mom, stepdad, mother and father in law, and kids there to cheer me on! While I didn't have as big of a crowd I did have Jen and the kids there, which was perfect for me.

My only goal for his race was to run sub 20:00. If I was feeling better than I could try for more. I had already run 17 miles in the days before the race so my legs weren't as fresh as they could be. I was just going to have fun. Winning and running fast is fun, but I wasn't taking it too seriously.

Playing in the Colorado River before the race.

Pre-Race: The race started out in Gateway park along the Colorado river. The park had nice amenities and playground. It also had shade. This race was going to be about 50 people, no timing system, and very casual. I looked around to see if anyone else looked like a 'racer' and I only saw a few that looked fast (but looks can be deceiving!).

The registration table. It was a small crowd, but very family friendly and fun.

Mile 1: There were about 4-5 guys that got near the start line with me. When they said "go!" I took off and grabbed an early lead. For the first 400 meters I had 2-3 guys on my tail. By 800 meters it was down to me and one guy drafting me. 6:04

Mile 2: The race was an out-and-back along the river. At the turnaround, which was clearly marked (thank you!), I was about 25 seconds ahead of second place. We high-fived as we passed each other because runners are friendly. Unless I blew up I realized this was my race to win. I tried to push it enough to hold off a late run by Mr. 2nd place. But my mouth and throat were starting to burn.  6:19

Mile 3: At this point my mouth feels like I swallowed a tablespoon of cinnamon. It was dry. Saying it was dry does not communicate how dry it really was. It felt like I just ate a handful of sawdust. I've never experienced dry mouth quite like this. Not even when I wrestled in Jr. High. I tried to ignore the feeling and just press on. Water became my motivation to finish. 6:15

Coming in to the finish line.

Finish: I crossed the line in 19:04 good for first place! I wish I could have seen the time as I approached the finish because I'm pretty sure I could have chopped off 4 seconds to go under 19. My throat was burning with dryness. I grabbed some water and went and cheered in Mr. 2nd place. He finished about a minute behind me and ran a fantastic race by himself the whole way (3rd was probably another minute behind him).

The kids loved picking out which sub to eat.

I know it's blurry, but we were having fun.

After the race they had beer and firehouse subs. They had plenty of food so we just ate dinner there at the park. For my victory I got a gift card to firehouse subs and a t-shirt, not bad for such a small race!

While winning was fun, the highlight for me was seeing Jen and the kids cheer me on the final stretch and playing in the park before the race.