runningandthecity

Yesterday we woke up a bit after 11 am, July Fourth holiday and all, and I had to do speedwork. I got changed, looked at the temperature on the iphone, it said 73, shorts and bra, ready to go. The boyfriend is always my pacer (or there’d be NO speedwork), he got ready, was going to turn the TV on to check the temperature, I already checked, it’s 73. He thought it was strange that the apartment felt so hot. I was still half asleep, so… I noticed nothing.

I was supposed to do 7 miles total, with 5 at 7:30, which is pretty much a bit faster than my 10K pace. It was not gonna be easy at all, 7:20 is my 4 miler pace…

We go and half mile into it I try to shout that I can’t. I can’t. This is not gonna work. I can’t even shout. My heart rate is really high and spiking. But WHY?

After I hit the first mile, at eight thirty something, I stop. I can’t find the reason. I can’t do it. I feel like I am doing, my heart rate is not lying. So I assumed I hadn’t eaten enough the day before*, blamed being busy at work, and felt like a horrible FAIL.

*This is the busiest week of the year work-wise. I put together a dinner for around 500 people on Friday, with all 450 athletes doing the NYC Tri on Sunday, staff, coaches, race director, speeches, slideshow, etc. It will be insane. A 20 miler on Saturday and working at the race all day Sunday, plus our Victory Party celebration that night that I also put together. I might need a drink by then. 7 months of planning for this weekend. Ommmm.

I felt bad that I got him out for this stooopid wimpy attempt. I said I’d try for one more mile or two. We go. It’s hell again. By the time we get to the south of the park, he points out the CNN sign that shows the weather. It was 87 degrees.

Ah, ok. That makes more sense. He adjusted the goal time. I felt a bit less of a fail. He kept telling me how proud he was of me. I was destroyed.

When I finished the 4.5 at around 8 pace, with 2 stops in between I realized

• I was happy that I didn’t know it was so hot, or I would have skipped the effort. It’s still a good training effort!!
• I need to wait a second or two for the Iphone to refresh to the current weather. Now I know.

PS: I stopped at friend’s picnic before leaving the park, got a pork slider, a drink, and kept running. I wished all runs ended up like that!!!

PS2: Besides the sweaty failed attempt, I ended up having probably the best July Fourth I ever had. So, it all evens out. Happy Fifth!! and wish me luck this weekend!!!

Another lesson learned: look at the weather for more than 1 second!!