As I am a product of many New England snowstorms, the warmth here is always welcome. However, mixing training and heat can be a very tricky thing.
I built up a lot of running miles throughout the week and cut back on the bike for logistical reasons (no where to lock up the bike at the park when I run after work). So the numbers are a little bit skewed. But all in all, I got most of my workouts in before the heat wave hit. Here are the totals:
Running: 41.86 miles (the birthday run really boosted this - a new high for the year)
Biking: 25.48 miles (a Wednesday ride and a Sunday ride)
Yesterday Jenn and I did the usual AM park run. At 9 in the morning, it was already starting to heat up. We ran pretty quickly in order to beat the heat. I went home after that and called Amie, whom I am helping train for her first half marathon in August. Amie wanted to go for a run this week, and despite the weather, we agreed on an 11:30 meeting time.
Amie, Dan and I hit the GP horse trail at around noon, just when the sun angry. Our 5 mile trail (2.5 out-and-back) felt much, much different than my after work runs. Between the dust from the trail and the exhaust from the nearby freeway, it was a little gross to be breathing.
Nevertheless, we jogged it in about an hour. Learning from last week's sore legs experience, I decided to forgo an afternoon ride - too warm anyway.
This morning I awoke at 5:55AM to get ready for morning practice. 3 toaster waffles with almond butter and a soyjoy bar. I've started to remember, as I sit here and type, it is harder to make yourself eat when it's hot out. Luckily, it was sightly cooler at 6am (70 degrees) and I love toaster waffles.
By the time practice started at 7:45, it was already 80 degrees. For our taper week, we did a 10 mile run to Marina Del Rey and back, and then up the Santa Monica pier, along Palisades Park and back to our parking lot.
It was 91 degrees driving back from Santa Monica into the dusty bucket of smog and heat that is the San Fernando Valley (where I live). The last thing I wanted to do was eat, but seeing as I had just worked out for a while, I ate some grapes and eggs with salsa. I wanted to get a couple more biking miles in as well, so at noon (AGAIN - I choose poor times to go outside here!) I went for a quick 13.5 mile ride around the park, including my own heartbreak hill. The good news is that hill isn't getting any steeper, but I am definitely getting faster at climbing it.
Once again, I smell like the road, I am covered in dust and I need a shower. The heat is supposed to break Tuesday. Until then, I am a fan of the fans in my room and enjoying all of the ice my little tray has to offer.
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