Sunday, June 8, 2008

Hot hot hot

I ran my eighth consecutive DC Race For The Cure yesterday, in 27:54 (8:59). That time includes the two minutes it took me to get across the starting line in this gun-timed "race." I couldn't get to doing more than a lot of sideways running before the last mile because of the crush of people on the course. Actually, Race for the Cures are big social events (I've done twenty scattered about the country from NYC to Denver), a chance to get outside and move around some. They're fun.

The day tied a heat record at 98 degrees and the heat was unbearable even at 8 am. An hour earlier I had been at Iwo Jima across the river in Virginia where my club starts its SLRs, to cheer on the participants in my club's Marathon Training Program. There were about ten coaches and about 30 trainees there for their first training run that will, hopefully, lead them all across the finish line of the MCM in the fall. I don't have much to do with this program as it is run on a different model (a "mentoring" approach) than the programs I direct (which have been described by some club members as "chaperoned running groups"). The MTP is ably directed by Ben and Kristin. They put together a great-looking training sheet for it, covering all the weeks. The first run was ten miles. Off they all went in the early morning heat. Welcome to marathon training.

Then I jogged over to the start of the DCRFTC 5K about two miles away. Five minutes into the run I was sopping wet. Five minutes into the actual race I was thinking, Where is the finish line? It's never a good race for me when that thought strikes me so early.

That's what I did yesterday. That jaunt in a sauna just wore me out. It's supposed to approach one hundred degrees today.

8 comments:

Unknown said...

That's a hot one, and I imagine humid too. I don't think I could run outside in that. I'd probably stick with the dreadmill (in an iar conditioned gym).

DawnB said...

boy to I know the kinda hot you are talking about the whole weekend was crazy!!

Jade Lady said...

Hello DC Summer! It sounds like it's going to be a real steamer! We're experiencing some real steamy stuff here in the SW as well! When you cn run in these conditions, you're really tough!

Rainmaker said...

Yes, it was really just amazing how hot and humid it was yesterday morning. Glad you had an enjoyable morning downtown in the 5K

skoshi said...

Hi Peter,
My boyfriend's in DC now-a federal internship. We found out just a few weeks ago, and he arrived this past Wednesday. He's learning to make his way around. Was trying to find some clubs to meet up with this weekend, but ended up getting out on his own this a.m. (in the sauna). He's the one that solved the riddle (of what you do) for me. Do you mind giving him some info on club, long runs, trails, etc? My email is:
finnao@msn.com
If you do mind, just let me know-I'd understand.
Have a great upcoming week.
Thank you,
Naomi

akshaye said...

Nice time.. that too on a crazy warm day like that.

CewTwo said...

My first half-marathon, I kept thinking that the finish line has got to be close now!

But, you know, it still wasn't there until the 13.1 mile mark no matter what I did!

Wow... What heat!

jeanne said...

i've never run a race for the cure race, but have always wanted to! there's no other word for saturday's weather but BRUTAL. I know that's slow for you but decent for the weather.

hey, i hear the national tri still has openings for the relay if one member of the team is a federal employee....
hmm..can you think of anyone who might want to do the run?!? :)