Running on (jet) fumes

This week was just o-so-busy; I wasn't able to run much or post. I couldn't even get to the gym- and did the treadmill at home, before the kids woke up. I got about 2.5 miles in last Thursday morning, that was it. I felt tired the whole week- just too many things to take care of at work, several deadlines. I wasn't getting much sleep, either. I was running on fumes the whole week.

So Saturday came without much training, and I had planned to run 16 miles at Umstead. Jeff had an accident the previous week- while trying to avoid a dog while running in Raleigh, he fell down and fractured his left distal bone. His doctor told him he could still run on a treadmill, but no trails for 4 weeks.

So I got Tony to come to Umstead: Efren and Ed couldn't make it. Tony planned to run 8 miles, and I was to do 16. We figured we'd do the Graylyn to Reedy Creek Trail, then turn right on Reedy Creek all the way past Airport overlook, to the West gate. It was 4 miles one way; so Tony would do one loop; I would do 2 back and forths. We did 5 min run/1 min walk at an easy pace. We got to the West gate in exactly one hour, so the pace was close to 15 min/mile (with 2 or 3 bathroom breaks:). This route is less hilly than the one to the Reedy Creek road, and is less frequented by runners.

I did ok the first 8 miles- an easy pace, and HR averaged 137. I had only one Gu in my bag, so I ate it after 8 miles, refilled my Fuel Belt (16 oz Powerade and 16 oz water), then set off to do another 8 miles. The first 4 miles back to the West gate was easy. I decided to pick up the pace, and did the 4 miles in 48 min. However, from around Airport overlook to West gate, I started to smell a ketone/alcohol smell. This was around 9:30 AM. I knew it wasn't me :), and with trees and forest all around me, I couldn't imagine some kind of hazardous dumpsite nearby. I finally figured it was jet fuel - from the planes taking off from the airport! So this is the big revelation about Umstead- the part close to the airport smells like jet fuel around 9:30 - 11 AM, when the air traffic gets going! Well, it didn't help my run during miles 10-14, when I was breathing all this stuff. It is a state forest, but these trees can't absorb the smell, at least during this part of the day.

The other problem was that I felt I needed another Gu around mile 14. I was running on empty that last 1.5 miles. I emptied my Fuel Belt, took in as much Powerade as I could, but I needed more carbs. Last week, I ate 1 Gu, 1 Powergel, and 1 Hammergel for 14 miles. Here, I was doing 16 miles on just 1 Gu. I had some salt tablets; in desperation, I took them with water, but it didn't help. I struggled the last mile, and had to do 3/1 up the hill on Graylyn. I still did the last 4 miles in 50 min, but it was a struggle the last mile.

So in all, I did the first 8 miles in 120 min (15 min/mile), and the last 8 miles in 98 min. (12.25 min/mile). It was a triumph in one sense- this is the farthest run I've ever done. But I got a few lessons. One is take extra Gu, and eat one every hour. Second, start slow- if I do the first half of the marathon in 3 hours, that's ok. I am almost sure I will do a negative time-split (faster second half), as long as I survive. Third, avoid the West gate route from 9:30 -11. I don't want to be running on jet fumes.

Recovery: as I type this in on Sunday morning, I feel quite good. My knees ached when I got up this morning, but a 1.5 mile slow bike ride (riding support for Mia and Annetta's triathlon dry run) this morning did wonders. I feel fine.