Yesterday, I managed to sidestep the rain. However, I made up for it today with the wind! According to the local weather guy we were experiencing 19 mph sustained winds this morning around my running time. The temperature was 56 degrees according to my Coros but with the wind the real feel was in the mid 40’s!
Layering for the wind
Today’s run was a 6 mile run at marathon goal pace. I really struggled to figure out what to wear on my run so that I did not overheat as I got going but would be protective from the wind. I landed on full length leggings, a long sleeve base layer shirt, thermal pullover and my rain jacket, that also acts as a windbreaker.
I brought my gloves in my jacket pocket but didn’t need them. I also wore a hat today instead of a visor in case it rained which was still a possibility. I hit a homerun with my gear. As I warmed up I pushed the sleeves up to my mid-forearms and unzipped the jacket and pullover to get some fresh air on my neck and chest. It was enough to cool me off when the wind would be blocked by the houses but still warm enough when I turned a corner straight into a gale.
Pacing in the wind
Typically, you would probably want to adjust your expectations for your run when facing less than ideal weather conditions. I did not do that. I decided at the beginning of my run that I would try to maintain my goal pace but if I found the conditions were too difficult, or if I ended up falling short of my goals, I would not be hard on myself.
I ran mostly by feel for the entire run. I only checked my pace when I felt my watch buzz at the mile mark or when I needed to check my distance to know when to turn for home. It ended up being a good strategy that worked in my favor because when I checked my stats later that morning I had hit my goal pace dead on over the course of the 6 miles.
My heart rate remained in my aerobic and threshold zones for the majority of the run and my cadence averaged 182. That’s a bit high but there were several times I noticed that I picked up my pace when I came across vehicles or people that I wanted to move past quickly, just to be on the safe side.
Observations on my run
The streets were an absolute mess and I had to be careful in the dark to shine my headlight so I could miss the debris and palm fronds that had fallen into the street and my running path. At one point I paused my watch to pull a large, black trash bin out of the middle of the street where it had been blown, so that no cars would accidentally hit it.
Normally, I would listen to music on my faster runs but I opted to finish a podcast today. I listened to the Healthy Runner podcast episode 148. Duane Scotti was interviewing another podcaster that I like listening to, Elizabeth Scott from Running Explained. I highly recommend both podcasts. I enjoyed listening to Elizabeth’s story about her background. It’s always interesting to learn how other runners and coaches got their motivation and start in this crazy world of running.
Fueling plan
They say when you fail to plan then you plan to fail. Well, today I failed to plan my running fuel and so failed to bring any with me. Therefore, I did not have the opportunity to practice fueling on the run today. I did have my normal pre-run snack of beets, almonds and a banana. I also used an electrolyte mix in my handheld bottle but no gels. I also skipped the post-run shake since I was going to be eating breakfast soon after my run and it would have a mix of protein and carbs (almond butter on an Eziekel muffin).
My overall eating plan is still off course. I made plans to have lunch with a co-worker today and it too was not going to fit into my macro plan. I care a little but I also know I’ll get back on course. To be honest, I’m just bored with the program I’ve been following. I haven’t had enough time to give it my full attention to figure out what I want to change to make it start working for me again but it’s on my ‘to do soon’ list. Nutrition is always a work in progress.
Workout
- 6 miles at marathon goal pace (in the wind!)