Friday, June 1, 2012

It Is Gonna Be Hot So.....

It is gonna be hot this year. I am sure if you have been living in the PA region of the country this is not news to you. The heat is my personal kryptonite. When Mother Nature turns up the heat I tend to wither and crumble.

So what does this mean for my running schedule this year? Should I cancel all my races from now until the end of September? If you know me at all you know that is not an option. 

I may not like the heat, but the truth is there is nothing I can do about it. The weather is one factor on race day that is completely out of our hands. I may pray and hope for most race days to range from the upper 40s to lower 60s with partially sunny to overcast skies, but when race day arrives with 90 degrees, high humidity, and sunny skies that is entirely beyond my control.


What is still in my control is how I prepare for and react to the weather. I can't claim to have done any great preparation for the heat other than being out and training regardless of the temperature. I surely have not put on layers like Tom Jennings or anything like that.


So that only leaves my reaction. Ultimately my intended reaction will be 1. Hydrate well. I need to hydrate on schedule and adjust it as needed during the race. 2. Run mentally strong. For me this means keeping within my race strategy by (a) breaking the race up into small goals like running strong till the next climb, getting over the next up hill, or just running to the next aid station (b) breaking the race up into different sections like first half, first quarter, day time, night time, second half, home stretch (c) remember my training and all I have done to prepare for the race (d) take in the sights and smells around me to take my mind away (e) think about the finish line and it's food and friends as it gets closer and closer (f) thank God and give Him the praise and the glory for the ability to be out there enjoying His creation for another day and for giving me the strength to go one more step, one more mile, one more race!


Thank you for reading. 

Run Like a Horse,
Mick