Less than a month until the marathon, and time is flying by now! My shorter runs continued to go quite well this week, but my long run (15 miles) coincided with the beginning of a record-breaking heatwave here in Seattle. With temps heading up to 105-113ºF, my coach and I pushed my long run a day earlier to catch a slightly cooler day. Despite setting my alarm for 4:45 am, I was not able to outrun the heat... maybe 3 am next time?! Yuck. I ended up walking two .5 mile segments in the last three miles of my workout when I felt my skin was about to spontaneously burst into flames.
In truth, I did have to bite back sobs of frustration when I texted my husband the regular updates he requested when I left on the run. But as my marathon is in July, I can now see that this was actually a blessing in disguise to help me prepare for the possibility of extreme temps. The average high in Seattle is usually 75-79ºF in July, and I will be at a higher (thus cooler) elevation in the mountains, but apparently all bets are off now and I'm taking nothing for granted. My coach has already started giving me tips (such as getting a pocket sports bra and tucking ice into the pocket), and I'll continue to read articles, search blog posts, and schedule my runs to help me get used to the heat. In one podcast I listened to, a sports performance mindset expert recommended that you don't training for your perfect race – instead, train for one that throws you for a loop. Practice maintaining focus when you have to recover from the unexpected, and it will come easier in the moment that it counts. Sounds like winning advice to me!
The week to come is a big one: it's my longest mileage before beginning my 3-week taper leading up to the marathon. I will also surpass 400 miles of training. Because my marathon has a long tunnel section that requires a head- or waist-lamp, my coach would like me to run next week's 20-miler on the actual trail so I know what to expect. My parents will be keeping my kids overnight so that my husband and I can head into the mountains that morning. I'll be running from the starting line through the tunnel while he accompanies me on his bike. Hopefully I won't get lost this time!
Mileage for week 16: 35 miles
Total mileage: 385.7 miles
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