Tuesday, April 28, 2009

Batman Runs Again!

Temperature: 90 degrees; splits 8:45; 9:08; 9:14; 9:04; 36:11 total for 4 miles; 9:02 per mile pace.

Back on the road again. As much as I didn't want to run today in 90 degree heat, I really couldn't come up with a legitimate excuse not to run. I figured I'd pretend I looked "cool" wearing my Batman type utility belt. I know I'm showing my age here, but Batman's utility belt had , according to Wikipedia, "a kevlar strap and metal buckle, and the belt houses ten cylinder cartridges, which vertically clip onto the outside of the belt. The buckle itself contains a miniature camera and two-way radio. A secondary compartment behind the length of the belt houses Batman's supply of collapsible batarangs." Freakin' cool or what?! Hey, my version of the utility belt has a velcro strap, with two outside rear back pockets to securely hold 2 plastic water bottles containing nourishing cold liquids (water), as well as a small pouch with a velcro fastener which safely and securely stores my vital statistics (name, address, and phone number).Alright, now that I've clarified that, my total run was 4 miles on the road, out and back from my house. There was actually a nice breeze blowing that felt cool to me, if that's possible when it's 90 degrees. I decided to run for 6 minutes, and if I was feeling well, then to go for a mile before my one minute walk break. Yup, I was "tricking" my left brain again. After the first 6 minutes, I was feeling good. No, I was feeling DAMN good. Maybe there IS something to wearing Batman's utility belt. I was going to run a mile before I took a walk break. As they say in the Batman fight scenes,"Zap," "Pow," "Bam" left brain. One mile time was 8:45. After my minute walk break, which consisted of chugging my nourishing cold liquids and wiping my sweaty forehead (Eww), I was running again, and still feeling DAMN good. Mile 2 came quickly, and was a 9:08 split, including my walk break. I really thought I was suffering from heatstroke at that point. I was feeling too good, not overheated, and the breeze still felt cool. Mile 3, including my walking break, was a 9:14 time, and I finished well with a 9:04 split for the last mile. So overall, on the road, up and down hills, in 90 degree heat, I averaged a 9:02 mile pace for 4 miles running and using 3 one minute walk breaks. I think, no, I know I'm on to something here. After a 15 minute ice pack under my left heel, I'm good to go another day. Next week starts my official training using my new BFF Jeff Galloway's 4 hour marathon training schedule. I'm assuming that I'm going to be lucky and be chosen in June to compete in the NY City Marathon on November 1. If not, then I'll adjust my training and run in the Hartford Marathon on October 10.

4 comments:

Mel-2nd Chances said...

oooh! I will keep my fingers crossed for you getting into NYC! That would be an amazing experience!

Lindsay said...

mmm 90*! i've been taking it slow myself the past few days (86 and 73) and not expecting anything spectacular in the heat. just keep getting out there and hopefully we won't feel as yucky after a few weeks in the heat.

i hope you win the lottery! that would be super awesome. good planning to have a 'backup' race already, just in case. i was considering hartford for the fall too, but maybe next year.

Anais said...

I so hope you get into the NYC marathon!!! :)

I'm trying to find another book that I want to buy on amazon before purchasing the Galloway book in case you were wondering ;)

And I don't know about the slurpee...To me, it just seems like a bunch of sugar...and if I'm going to have that, I would rather have it in brownie form ;)

Melanie Tait said...

Kaboom! Good job Rick!