Next Race
OK, so I trained for this last marathon, then on race day was hammered by heat exhaustion. I was not acclimated to the conditions (even though it wasn't terribly hot, it was quite humid). I ended up walking most of the last 7 miles. Which means I didn't "run a marathon". It was more of a brutal training run, followed by a long walk. Which means (as Elizabeth suggested) I could still run another marathon (with a short build up and taper).
My first reaction after this last race was to take a little time off to regroup. But since I've already done the conditioning to run a marathon, it would be a shame not to run one now. So what I need to do is crank the mileage back up for a couple weeks, acclimate to the heat, taper, and run a summer marathon.
Yesterday I ran 12 miles on the Charles River trails. It was pretty darn warm. Most of my runs last week were in fairly warm temperatures. I'm drinking a LOT of water. I've cut back on my caffeine (haven't decided whether or not to eliminate it altogether). I'm almost one week into my heat acclimation. The running feels good -- no current issues.
And it turns out there is a unique New England summer marathon coming up on one of my free weekends in July. The Paul Bunyan Marathon in Bangor Maine.
Gonna do it.
My first reaction after this last race was to take a little time off to regroup. But since I've already done the conditioning to run a marathon, it would be a shame not to run one now. So what I need to do is crank the mileage back up for a couple weeks, acclimate to the heat, taper, and run a summer marathon.
Yesterday I ran 12 miles on the Charles River trails. It was pretty darn warm. Most of my runs last week were in fairly warm temperatures. I'm drinking a LOT of water. I've cut back on my caffeine (haven't decided whether or not to eliminate it altogether). I'm almost one week into my heat acclimation. The running feels good -- no current issues.
And it turns out there is a unique New England summer marathon coming up on one of my free weekends in July. The Paul Bunyan Marathon in Bangor Maine.
Gonna do it.
posted by Kurt in Boston at 4:50 PM
7 Comments:
Sounds like a great idea Kurt. Wish you every success.
Oh my. That's not what you said the night after your marathon! Don't let that crazy Elizabeth drive you to it ;)
Although, I would LOVE to go to Maine. I think I read too many Stephen King novels as a child/young adult. I've never been to Maine, but I think my dream home is there... somewhere.
Good luck. Do what feels right... but listen to your body, not your mind. :)
It's true, right after the marathon I was thinking I would take a little time off, but really, I feel great.
By the time I was flying back the next day, it was on my mind to seriously consider finding another marathon (before that crazy Elizabeth mentioned anything). But I figured I'd at least see how the week went as I began running again. And it felt great. Of course I'll be listening to my body this week as I rack up some tall miles. And I'm not going to register until after I see how my long run goes this Sunday. But things are looking good right now.
Or maybe the heat has gone to my head.
That's the spirit! I was going to suggest the Sommerville Road Runner's Race around the Lake in Wakefield in late July. It's a night-time marathon. I'd planned to do it before my unfortunate accident. Bangor sounds like a nicer location.
I looked at the Somerville race around the lake, but I'll be out of town that weekend.
Good luck Kurt. You know your body and whether you can handle another marathon so soon. Although you made a great point when you said it was more like a training run due to the 7 miles worth of walking.
Awesome! Good Luck!
Crazy? Me?
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