1

Difficult, Disappointing Half. Help? (Read 984 times)

NewRunner73


    Hello.

     

    I ran my third half over the weekend and it didn't go too well.  My first two were on cool days with thick overcast and no humidity and I did well.  Only drank at stops and had no dehydration issues.  This past weekend, I had my heart set on a new PR, but the temps were warmer (70s) and a lot of direct sunlight.  I stopped at every water stop, drank 1 cup and dumped the other on myself.  I felt sick through most of the race and even had bad side stitches for the last 3 miles.  My husband ran with me and I really don't know what I would have done w/out his water supply, which I pretty much drained before we finished.  I know I hydrated well prior, but I have had trouble running in the sun before.  Any advice?  I certainly should be able to handle a run in mid April!


    SMART Approach

      Chalk it up as a bad day on a hot day. Don't let it get you down. Difficult to PR on a hot day. Is it possible you over consumed fluids?Cramping is more likely to occur from too much water consumption (diluting electrolytes) or working harder than you can handle which is also common in the heat vs from dehydration? Regroup and find a 5 or 10k soon to regain your confidence and evaluate current fitness?

      Run Coach. Recovery Coach. Founder of SMART Approach Training, Coaching & Recovery

      Structured Marathon Adaptive Recovery Training

      Safe Muscle Activation Recovery Technique

      www.smartapproachtraining.com

      npaden


        As a newbie runner experiencing my first transition from winter into spring and warmer temperatures I've been very surprised by how much the temperature increase affects me on my longer runs.

         

        I'm SO excited that the weather on my upcoming half is looking cool.  No way I would be able to make my goal time if it was warm and sunny.

        Age: 50 Weight: 224 Height: 6'3" (Goal weight 195)

        Current PR's:  Mara 3:14:36* (2017); HM 1:36:13 (2017); 10K 43:59 (2014); 5K 21:12 (2016)

          It may be that you ran too fast at the start for the conditions and your current level of fitness. If it's hot it's hard to run quite as fast, so sometimes you just have to accept that it's not a day for a PB.

           

          Although you often need to drink a bit when you're running in the heat it's easy to overdo this and it's possible that you spent rather too much time worrying about this aspect. First off you should make sure you start out well-hydrated so make sure you're in a good state the previous day (a good way to do this is monitor your urine colour - should be very pale). Don't overdrink on the day prior to the race or you'll spend ages queueing for the porta-loo before the start - just drink what you would normally with breakfast. In the 5 minutes before the gun I like to drink a few hundred ml of sports drink - both for the water and for the sugars. On the course don't feel you need to drink at every station - mostly be guided by thirst. I've run HMs on hot days without drinking anything during the race - on other occasions I've drunk quite a bit...

           

          Don't let it get you down - we all have off days - and sometimes there's no readily understood explanation for it. But sometimes you can look back and figure out a likely reason for why it didn't go the way you'd hoped and use that to improve next time around.

          BeeRunB


            Hello.

             

            I ran my third half over the weekend and it didn't go too well.  My first two were on cool days with thick overcast and no humidity and I did well.  Only drank at stops and had no dehydration issues.  This past weekend, I had my heart set on a new PR, but the temps were warmer (70s) and a lot of direct sunlight.  I stopped at every water stop, drank 1 cup and dumped the other on myself.  I felt sick through most of the race and even had bad side stitches for the last 3 miles.  My husband ran with me and I really don't know what I would have done w/out his water supply, which I pretty much drained before we finished.  I know I hydrated well prior, but I have had trouble running in the sun before.  Any advice?  I certainly should be able to handle a run in mid April!

             

            If you normally race in 50 degrees and then you race in 70° then you have to go in with a plan to run about 7% slower, give or take a percent or two. For example, if  a month earlier in 50°, you ran a PR half marathon of 2:00:00 (9:09), you have to set a pace plan for a 2:08:00 (9:45). Otherwise, you would be running a pace for aprox a 5-miler through 10k for 70°. 

             

            Same goes for training. A long run normally done in 50° done in 80°, should be done a lot slower, if you don't want to make it a very long tempo run.

             

            Here's a chart that Jeff Galloway put out that is a good rule of thumb. It's not completely scientific, but he found these slowing rates to be true for most amateurs. Elites or well-trained amateurs might not slow as much. Acclimation to heat can help reduce this slowing, but there always will be some. For example, no one will be setting the Boston Marathon course record when it is 80°. 

             

            55-60 degrees - 1%

            60-65 degrees - 3%

            65-70 degrees - 5%

            70-75 degrees - 7% 

            75-80 degrees - 12%

            80-85 degrees - 20% -

            Above 85 degrees - Forget it... run for fun

             

            The use of a heart rate monitor can take a lot of this guesswork out. In terms of training, a long-run run at 70% MHR will be the same effort in cooler or hotter temperatures, and you will naturally slow down the proper amount without having to figure out percentages. Some race with HRM's and it does the same thing for you in a race. If you run a 5k at 95% MHR average, then that's all you have to worry about.

             

            Sidenote: be careful with over-drinking. It's not necessary, and very dangerous. The cup of water on your head does more for you than all that extra water you drink.  Read this:  http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0001431/

             

            There are usually a few runners every year who run into problems (and sometimes die) from over-drinking in races.

             

            Good luck.

            --Jimmy Cool

              You had a tough day,.......it happens....

               

              Now chill out and start training again for the next one.......races don't always go the way we want them to go......  the Heat was probably an issue for you and it effects people differently.  Some people can deal with it better than others...some days you can deal with it and other days you cant deal with it.

               

              Don't analyze it too much...be aware of the situation, the heat, your training and pre-race rituals and then make whatever adjustments 'seem' reasonable for YOU and sign up for another one.

               

              You don't always PR every time you race (no matter how much you have your heart set on it) -- if it was that easy, we'd all be elite runners.

               

              Don't sweat it --- just keep on moving forward......

               

              You'll get it next time......Smile

              Champions are made when no one is watching

              NewRunner73


                Thank you all for the info/advice!  Maybe it was a stupid move, but I signed up for another half at the end of May.  It's one I have run before and so I know the course.  Also, it's a 7 AM race and so that minimizes the chance of it being a steamer.  I know that it's difficult for me to run in hotter temps and so I figured I'd squeeze one in before summer.  I was a mere few mins from a new PR and I just want to get over the hump.  Will hydrate well and try not to get psyched out!

                   Maybe it was a stupid move,

                   stupid is getting psyched out and giving up running