I'd been planning this run for weeks, but the signs this afternoon were not looking good. I was chatting with a co-worker when I saw the TV by him flash 31C and the words "EXTREME HEAT ALERT". Great, this will be fun.
I'm exactly 20 kilometres from work if you measure it out by the trails that lead from my office's front doors to mine. The plan was to bring my running gear to work, then after work change and go out the door for that run home.
I knew that a huge problem would be getting enough liquid so I filled three fuel belt bottles and also carried a 750 ml Gatorade bottle. It was a lot to carry but I had no clue if I'd find water fountains.
It was stinking hot, 30C with humidex of 36C, but for some reason, I kept a strong pace. Maybe it was to get this run over with, but I took the run quite strongly. Even on a cool day, the 5 minute kilometre pace or 8 minute miles would not be easy. Today, it was really difficult. Two bonuses were that the route home is downhill and there was a lot of shade.
I had biked the route in reverse a few times but I was pretty shocked that I was able to make it through the trails without taking the wrong turn.
What surprised me was how fast I got back downtown. It usually takes me at least an hour and 10 minutes to get home after work, and this run only took about 25 minutes more. That's pretty efficient use of commuting time for training time.
So there you go, I'm going to do this once a week and get in these monster 12 to 15 milers on Wednesday done.
Because if I could take this route on this day, then the rest of the summer should be okay. 12 miles in 1:37.
6 comments:
That's pretty efficient use of transit time. Especially on such a hot and hasty day.
I can't believe you ran 12-miles in the peak heat of the day yesterday! [And I was complaining about a measly 6 and 9pm when the sun had gone down!]
Sounds like a great way to get your mid-week long runs done.
It's awesome to commute on foot. I ran home a few times this winter, though nothing approaching your distance. A great run in the heat for sure. I was out there running intervals and know how you must have felt.
That's awesome! Great to kill two birds with one stone too. I did a run to work (eight miles) this morning and loved it--but it wasn't yet th eheat of the day and there was lots of shade.
What a nice reminder that when we run, whether it's good weather or bad, we are, in fact, GOING somewhere!
Curious whether the washrooms are open or closed due to the strike and also whether the water fountains now are working.
That route was my long run training staple last summer--it is also cool (although out of the way for you) to divert southeast to Victoria Park though Taylor Creek and then run down that street to the boardwalk along the Beach. You can do that if you want to get in a few more miles on a run home.
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