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Good days and your bad days (Read 910 times)


Slow-smooth-fast

    I find it funny how I never really know how my run is going to turn out until I am out on the road. I mean take last week for instance, I did a 4 mile race in 6:55 m/miles. Felt good but hard all the same, Today was secheduled my long run, I was only able to manage 9 miles, at 8:20 pace. The thing is it didnt really feel like an easy pace, I think I know what the problem was, the heat! Living in Uk we are not accustomed to having good weather but lately we have had a few really hot days. Is it right that the heat can affect your performance so much. It made me feel like turning back all the time today, and I struggled a bit despite the easy pace. It makes me think how I can sustain a pace for 10k at 7:15 yet found it rather uncomfortable today to just keep going at 8:20. What can it be? Is it just the heat theat can affect you this much? It zaps my motivation!

    "I've been following Eddy's improvement over the last two years on this site, and it's been pretty dang solid. Sure the weekly mileage has been up and down, but over the long haul he's getting out the door and has turned himself into quite a runner. He's only now just figuring out his potential. Consistency in running is measured in years, not weeks. And over the last couple of years, Eddy's made great strides" Jeff 14 Jan 2009

      The heat definitely sucks the life out of you. I've had to cut at least two runs a little short in the last two weeks due to the heat. I'm pretty sure the heat will help drive your heart rate up faster than it does on a cooler day, thus making it feel more difficult to run at paces that seem easier on cooler days.

      When it’s all said and done, will you have said more than you’ve done?

      Scout7


        Well, from personal experience, I've found that it's not a fair comparison to use a race day and a training day. I just feel.....different for a race than for training.
          What I hate the most is on a day when I'm looking forward to a run and I feel like I could run a million miles, I get out there and within minutes my breathing is messed up, my legs are tired and I just can't figure it out. Those times seem to happen when I haven't given myself a rest day. I don't do well in the heat, as I'm finding out. Makes me feel like I'm running in slow motion. I get nervous too, since I'm not sure of what warning signs I need to watch out for. There are times, like during the last 5k I did, when I get chills while running, and since it was like 90 degrees I know I wasn't cold!! Something tells me that chills may not be a good thing during a race in the heat. So I don't push myself in the heat.

          Michelle




          Burninated Peasant

            Today was secheduled my long run, I was only able to manage 9 miles, at 8:20 pace. The thing is it didnt really feel like an easy pace, I think I know what the problem was, the heat! ... It makes me think how I can sustain a pace for 10k at 7:15 yet found it rather uncomfortable today to just keep going at 8:20. What can it be? Is it just the heat theat can affect you this much? It zaps my motivation!
            It can absolutely cause that much difference. If you take a look at my PR's, you'll notice that the 20km PR is a full 1:30 per mile slower than my half-marathon PR, even though a half-marathon is farther. It was 80-85 degrees (~27 C) and humid for the 20k (at 7am!). It was 60 degrees (16 C) for the half. When it's really warm out, you just have to expect to be slower and feel sluggish.
            jEfFgObLuE


            I've got a fever...

              Jeff Galloway has a calculator to predict your race times for 5k~marathon based on a one-mile time trial. One of the caveats is:
              The temperature on the race day of your race is 60°F or cooler.
              From my experience, that's definitely true. Once you get above 60°F, and certainly 70°F, performance suffers, and it suffers more the farther you run.

              On your deathbed, you won't wish that you'd spent more time at the office.  But you will wish that you'd spent more time running.  Because if you had, you wouldn't be on your deathbed.

                From my experience, that's definitely true. Once you get above 60°F, and certainly 70°F, performance suffers, and it suffers more the farther you run.
                If this is true, I'm very happy to hear that!! Maybe I'm MUCH closer to my 21 minute 5k than I think. COME ON COOL WEATHER!

                Michelle



                jEfFgObLuE


                I've got a fever...

                  If this is true, I'm very happy to hear that!! Maybe I'm MUCH closer to my 21 minute 5k than I think. COME ON COOL WEATHER!
                  Some people handle heat better than others, but it's definitely the case with me. In HS track, my times in the 2-mile seemed to get worse as the season wore on, but I got faster in the shorter distances. By the time late May and early June rolled around, I could be counted on to run the following at a track meet: a) strong 800m leg in the 4x800 b) strong mile c) absolutely craptacular 2-mile.

                  On your deathbed, you won't wish that you'd spent more time at the office.  But you will wish that you'd spent more time running.  Because if you had, you wouldn't be on your deathbed.


                  Into the wild

                    Hi Eddy, I'm with you on this one mate. I'm not quick by any stretch of the imagination but when the heat comes on, 24°C and above I lose the will to live, I generally set off as usual and about 1km in I hit a barrier...I guess my core temperature rises and the body says, 'Hey!' 'Enough!' After that I have to console myself with the fact that I'm still putting the time in and accept that any kind of performance will only return in the autumn. Happy trails.

                    Shut up and run