I know better – I swear!

I know better – I swear!
Heck I’ve written stuff about this before, but I managed a sunburn and perhaps a touch of sunstroke on my run yesterday.
I anticipated about 7k which through misadventure became 14k. I anticipated being in the sun without water for 35-40 minutes, but between a run, workout, waiting for my companion and our inevitable conversation I ended up being out for more than two hours, much later into the heat than was healthy.
I’ve got a terrific burn on the top of my noggin which looks like a reverse tonsure due to my BondiBand and given that I am suffering from a lack of usable sunglasses, I burnt underneath my eyes as well.
I guess we are never too smart to learn basic survival lessons over again.

The principle for running in the Negev is:  if in the sun for over an hour, water and a head-protection are a must…

גמר חתימה טובה

An Insatiable Desire to Explore

Attack Camels

Bedouin Camp

Mouth of Cave

Hills

Bee Hives

It’s been great, my running has very consistent with 40-60k per week, and to my wonder many of these have been off-road and outside of the city. This has been driven by a curiosity to discover new things and not just rack up the kms. This is a significant shift in my training mentality and it has breathed new life into long runs. Most often I arrive back to my destination disappointed that the journey is over.

I have encountered much wildlife, mostly of the non-human variety: foxes, wild dogs, camels (as wild and crazy as they ever get), spiders the size of a racquetball, mole-like creatures, bees, hellish looking wasps and all sorts of roadkill.

I’ve found a fist-full of caves, some 4th century BCE ruins, some strange white boxes in the middle of nowhere (these ended-up being bee-hives, which I discovered when I got too close).

My run today took me south of the city, heading through a host of Bedouin camps/villages. Though it was Rosh Hashanah, packs of children were waiting on the side of highway for their school bus. I guess they don’t often see people running up there, and they were hollering, pointing, waving which I enthusiastically returned with “good morning” and lots of arm-waving; I haven’t enjoyed the marathon spectators half as much as I enjoyed those little kids.

Rambling over hills, evading dogs and stopping to see amazing things has changed the way I see running and pace. A good run is the one filled with wonder, not necessarily the one with the best pace. I’m still training, but have regained some of that wide-eyed wonder that made running so fun to begin with.

Pictures from recent runs

Tel Sheva


Sappers practicing their craft


Son taking the hill

Hills, Boot Camp and Bikes

Hills glorious hills
My new locale has changed the face of my running and has likely been very good for my development as a runner. I live at the top of high bill and no matter how I slice it, my run- back portion is always uphill, in fact most of my runs include anywhere from 200-400 metres in elevation gain. This certainly affects my speed averages which has been a blow to my ego, but it certainly has taught my heart and lungs some new tricks, which can only be good.

US Army boot camp prep
A friend of mine decided to join the US Army Reserves already in his 40s, fulfilling a lifelong dream. His basic training is coming up and be desperately needs to be in top form before arriving. To get beaten into shape at 18 is relatively easy (not smart, but easy), but at 40+ you could seriously get hurt.
So, three times a week we go through a series of push-ups, crunches, lunges, chin-ups and short runs as we gently get him up to speed. He has been loving it and I’m certainly enjoying improving my own strength and core. He’s been immensely grateful but I think I benefit just as much having someone to train with.

Bikes!
After promising for two years, my boys finally got their bikes! Our new place both has a place to store bikes and with an elevator, it is now possible for them to get them up to the apartment.
Last night I had the joy of showing them how to use the gears, fall properly and pop up and down curbs.
I think they are hooked already and I am immeasurably happy for them.

Time, software and the heat

I’ve sincerely missed penning my thoughts these past number of weeks, but with exams, a move, a regular pregnancy turned high-risk I’ve shifted into survival mode, which means that certain important things like blogging and flosing my teeth have gone by the wayside which has been like taking a break from running; it’s hard to start up again, but mind shall prevail over matter.
My running hasn’t suffered as much as I thought it would but has rather been a beacon of sanity and great stress release. I’m training for an ultra-marathon in Oct. and so I’ve been trying to build my distance base with the occasional foray into speed work. I’m nowhere near where I want to be but I’m having a riot as my body is performing well and I remain injury-free and my strength and depth is improving weekly. I e even seen slight improvements in my form, landing mid-foot more often and having much faster recovery than I’ve previously experienced.
Heat
My biggest challenge is the heat. Many of my long runs are in the low-mid 30s which is a real balancing act of hydration, pace and knowing when too much is too much. Most days I arrive home elated just to have survived the 30-36k run and have little concern with how long it took me.
I’m using about 2litres of Gu Istonic drink and have been known to stop and buy an additional 500 ml of ice tea just for the cold sugary rush.
A key to survival has been taking small breaks in the shade which comes in the way of gas-stations preferably with A/C. I’ve learned there is no shame in stopping to try and bring my body temperature down to safer levels. I just have to be careful to stretch when I stop and before I start again.
It struck me as funny that a 36k run a few weeks ago was the single-hardest run I’ve attempted, 3 marathons notwithstanding. The psychological battle was intense and my body was furious with me and I struggled to keep my thoughts clear towards the end and I knew I was on the edge of danger, with sunburn and heatstroke. The grand relief I felt In making it home without having to make a call for rescue was immense.
Software
Another change has been my gradual shift away from RunKeeper and MapMyRun to Adidas’s miCoach.
I still really like RunKeeper but have always hoped they would add a training component therefore I’ve created training plans with RunCoach (now MapMyRun) however when they changed ownership they limited access unless you bought their new package. Having already bought two of their apps I was kinda done with this and stumbled upon miCoach which has been a real fun surprise. Not only is it chock-full of options such as tracking shoe mileage, to creating multiple training plans or goals everything is integrated in one app.
It has some bugs to be sure:
GPS sometimes goes weird not tracking accurately
When you need to edit an ill-tracked run these options are hard to find or not possible.
Otherwise, it’s a stellar app able to handle the breadth of running data.
The coaching option is amusing given that paces are designated by colour which provides a range rather than a rigid sense of numbers; I find this colour-code lends itself to more flexibility and running by feeling, which suits my current training mode.
I can’t recommend this app highly enough with the exception of edit-ability.
Anyway life is calling me and I’m remembering that endurance is a state of mind in all areas of life and not just on the hwy.

Big Heroes in Small Packages – Kiryat Gat 10k

Not being an intensively emotive person, I can sometimes be surprised when I am gripped by strong feelings especially when they are not anticipated.

My 9-year-old insisted on running a 5k race. While 2k races are usually free and he can manage to place well within his age range, he has been asking for more of a challenge. This has been tricky as most registering sites will not allow giffers his age run that far. I think because I phoned in his registration, we slipped by.

This didn’t dissuade my concerns about him running this distance and given that I wouldn’t be able to pace him. My fear was that in the energy of the moment, he’d start too fast, burn–out and crash in despair. He is a rather emotive child.

So, he lined up vibrating with excitement along with about 200 hundred others, mostly adults and teenagers. I ran ahead, but found it really hard to spot him in the mob. About 10 minutes later my 10k group jumped off, and at about 3k, the leaders of the 5k race came flying down the opposite side of the road, led by Ethiopians and national speedsters. I realized my son and I would pass each other and so I began scanning in earnest for his skinny form.

And sure enough a few minutes later I spotted him, with his Canadian Olympic t-shirt and headband with all the intensity of a warrior and no lack of speed. I held out my arm indicating that I wanted to give him a high-five, he put out his without changing his warrior’s grimace, and gave me a firm smack. In that moment my whole body flushed with joy and pride; I could have nearly cried.

Seeing him racing against himself with such focus and intensity, knowing how hard it was at that point and how tired he must have felt, inspired me to dig a little deeper, to be stronger, to be faster.

Of course, he met me at the finish line, literally glowing with accomplishment and pride, wearing his medal. He was full of tales of what went on in those short but intense 27 minutes in a way that only a runner can do: what he saw, what he felt and how he surprised himself.
The closest age category was the 15-year-old males and even amongst them he scored a 28th place finish; even he was pleased.

We hadn’t even left the race grounds before he was asking about the next one, which is exactly how I felt.

Some days are just like that

A great day! 31k!
No time for lots of words but some descriptions of my photos below:
Huge cycling race was going on and that was entertaining to watch as I meandered along. (I still think runners have more fun)

I was grateful for a gas station open near Moshav Nitan as my pack had sprung a leak and I was out of fluids and still had 16 left to run in the heat.

11k left which can still seen like a lot.

Gorgeous view of long road ahead