Richmond Times Dispatch #4

Here is another article about the Training Team from the Richmond Times Dispatch. This one is also about the heat, and features Don Garber. Most of the information you have already seen in emails from Don, or on our blog. Enjoy!

Email #6 from Coach Don

HEAT: Ok, it has been hot. And humid. What can you do? I don't like to send you real long messages, but at the end of this message there is a write up on coping with the heat.

4th of July: Remember, this weekend we are dressing up for the 4th of July. Dress up in your best red, white and blue.

Time Change: With the hot weather upon us, starting next week, we will start 30 minutes earlier. The 7:00 groups will start at 6:30 and the 7:30 groups will start at 7:00. We will keep these new times until after Labor Day.
Note: The Rocky Mount Team will run at 7:00 this weekend, and discuss running earlier in the summer weeks

Hill Workouts: Hill workouts will start on July 13. These are a more difficult workout that substitutes for one of your shorter weekly runs. More details will follow in next week's message. See you this weekend...

Hot Weather Running:

Summer is here! The bulk of our training program will be during the warm part of the year, so we though it would be a good time to review some considerations and concessions associated with training in the heat. Here goes:

Heat and Performance. The ideal running temperature is between 40 and 60 degrees! During the summer, our body has to work overtime while running to keep the body cool while supplying oxygen and fuel to the working muscles. A rough formula is that you will slow one second/mile for each one-degree increase in temperature over 60 degrees. High humidity and direct sunlight will add to the slowdown. ADJUST ACCORDINGLY. If you run the same routes and courses week-to-week, don’t race yourself or the clock! Take into account the conditions of the day.

Dehydration. When body fluid is lost through sweating and not replaced, you dehydrate. When dehydrated, body cells work inefficiently, sweating decreases, heart rate and body temperature increase, and less blood is available to circulate oxygen and glucose through the body.

DRINK, DRINK, DRINK! Drink water before, during, and after running, as well as throughout the day. Sports drinks work great, but stick to water during the day to stay away from unnecessary calories! The American College of Sports Medicine recommends drinking 16-18 oz. of fluid two hours before exercise. If you don’t urinate within an hour, drink another eight oz. Then, drink 8-16 oz. five-fifteen minutes prior to your run. During your run, drink every 5-10 minutes(you should consume 6-12 oz. every 15-20 minutes). Don’t wait until you’re thirsty! For those of you carrying a water bottle, it should be empty 45 minutes into your run. After your run, start drinking immediately to help replace lost fluids and bring down your body temperature. Aim for at least 16 oz. for every 30 minutes of running. See our prior handout on hydration for more information.

Humidity. We get our fair share of high humidity in Richmond. Under very humid conditions, little sweat can evaporate since the air is already saturated, and it becomes difficult for the body to lose heat. Your sweat provides less of a cooling effect.

We have attached a common heat index chart. Be aware of how humidity increases the apparent temperature; check out the local weather report! Let this information be a guide to determine what you wear, how far you run and at what pace. (NOT ATTACHED FOR EMAIL)

Heat Related Illness. High temperatures, humidity and direct sunlight in combination with heat generated by the exercising body can lead to heat stress, which can lead to heat related illness. The earliest warning signs of heat stress are fatigue, anxiety, irritability, dizziness, or visual impairment. If you recognize and respond to these symptoms, you can avoid serious problems. LISTEN TO YOUR BODY! Stop running or slow to a walk and drink lots of fluids. Get out of the sun and cool off.

O.K., it’s hot outside and I’m going for a run. Here are some tips for training in the heat:

1. Use Common Sense. Don’t run hard in the heat;
2. Drink, Drink and Drink. See above. If you carry water, drink from it often and at regular intervals. Don’t wait until you’re thirsty;
3. Dress Cool. Choose lightweight, light-colored, loose-fitting breathable fabric that wicks away sweat;
4. Adjust Your Training Pace. Start slowly, and run a steady slower pace. If you normally take walking breaks, make them a little bit longer. Don’t compare run times to cooler days;
5. Be In Shape. Isn’t that why we’re doing all this? The better you’re training and less your weight, the less the heat will affect you;
6. Stock Up on Carbs. Eating plenty of carbohydrates, along with hydration will reduce glycogen depletion on hot days;
7. Avoid the Heat. Run during the early morning hours or late in the evening when it is cooler;
8. Run on Cool Surfaces. Hot pavement can irritate the feet and it reflects heat up. Try running on dirt shoulders, cinders, trails and grass;
9. Run In the Shade. If you have a choice, pick a shaded route. Run on the shaded side of the street where possible, even if you have to adjust your route;
10. A headwind is cooler and a tailwind is warmer. Headwinds move body heat away from you, while tailwinds (especially tailwinds that approximate your running speed) wrap body heat around you like a blanket. If you have to choose, run the first half of your run with the wind at your back and then reverse direction;
11. Run Indoors. If you have access to a treadmill, take advantage of it during hot weather. Treadmills are a nice change of pace and allow you to work on form and pacing;
12. Break It Up. If you’re bent on running for, say, an hour on a certain day, break it up into two half-hour sessions, one in the early morning and one in the evening. Further, you could run for a half-hour outside and then finish up with a ½ hour on an exercise bike or elliptical trainer. Let your imagination be your guide.

Adapted from the Competitive Runner’s Handbook. Bob Glover and Shelly-lynn Florence Glover, 1999, Penguin Books~

June 24th Photos

Thought I would share a few photo's from Saturday's run. We had a great turnout with 13 showing up. Thanks also to Nelson, and John for joining us. Dont forget that this weekend is red-white-and-blue day.

HANDOUT: Stretching

One of the most important things you can do to prevent injury is to incorporate a regular stretching program into your training. Your stretching program does not have to overly complex or overly time consuming. But by merely adding a regular (at least five times per week) stretching program of only ten minutes per day can reap enormous benefits for your running.

Basis Rules of a Stretching Program.

• Never stretch a cold muscle. Always be sure to do something to warm up your muscles (light exercise, a shower are good examples.) Never hop out of bed in the morning and start a hard stretching exercise.
• Static Stretching. You never want to stretch a muscle to the point that the stretch hurts. As you stretch out, go slowly, gradually. You should feel the stretch, but not to the point of pain.
• Each stretch should be done between 3 to 5 times. Hold each stretch for 20-30 seconds. The benefits of going longer that 30 second begin to greatly diminish.
• Don’t bounce. One tendency for people new to stretching is to bounce. (going back and forth in trying to get a greater stretch) This tremendously increases you chance of pulling and injuring the muscle.
• Do it Regularly. You can stretch anywhere. In the shower, watching TV, while reading the paper. Just do it at least 5 times a week, but doing it every day as part of your regular routine of life is better. Get into a stretching routine. It does not have to be long, 10 minutes a day may be sufficient.
• Relax when you stretch. Don’t forget to breathe normally.

Stretching and Running.
When I go out for a run do I stretch before I run or after I run? You will get many different answers to this question. My answer--- At a minimum, you should always stretch after you complete a run. Does that mean that as soon as your last step is taken you should begin stretching? Not necessarily. Most people stretch after they have cooled down and had a chance to grab something to drink. This is good because you muscles are still warm but you will not rush thru your stretching because you are hot or thirsty.

At lot of people like to stretch before they run. If you do a short warm up before stretching, you may benefit from a pre run stretch. This should be done if you have been experiencing tightness in certain areas (Achilles, IT Band, etc)

Stretching and Injury
If you are injured, stretching an injured muscle may do further damage. (Please note there is a difference between injury and soreness). However, in many cases, much of the rehabilitation of an injured muscle includes stretching. If you have a muscle injury, seek medical attention and follow their directions.

What Areas need Stretching?

The following list of muscle areas are the main areas that a runner should concentrate on stretching:

• Achilles Tendon
• Calf
• Quadriceps
• Hamstrings
• Hips
• IT Band

Also, if you have an area that is bothersome, it should get extra attention.

What stretches should I do?
Attached are several articles that go through the major stretches runners should use. Although there are several articles, you will see major themes thru the articles. Study the articles and develop what works for you. If you have questions, please see your coach or mentor.

Stretching Examples

Only those who risk going too far can possibly find out how far they can go…T. S. Eliot

HANDOUT: Injury Prevention

You can’t finish the race if you can’t start the race. To complete the proper training for an endurance event, you need two things. You need the dedication to put in he time and effort to train. And you need to stay healthy. Below are some general thoughts on how to make sure you stay healthy. Attached are several articles on injury prevention

How to stay healthy.
Most running injuries are not of a sudden impact type (the wrenching of a knee on the volleyball court.) Rather they are of the overuse type. Running is a repetitive motion and with that repetition comes increased risk of overdoing certain stresses.

These types of injuries are most common in newer runners. You have found something new that you enjoy and you want to get out there and do it as much as you can. That zeal can lead you down the trail to injuries.
Important factors in staying healthy include (those marked with a * have been or will be covered in a separate handout):

• Good Footwear *
• Proper Stretching *
• Following a Reasonable Training Program – The general rule of thumb is that you do not want to increase your weekly mileage by more that 10%-20% in any given week. Your training program has been designed to keep you in the safe zone.
• Staying Hydrated *
• Eating Right *
• Treating Injuries Quickly – Most people know when they have a small injury. By quickly attending to the injury, you can recover with minimal lost time. However, most major injuries occur when the runner ignores the small hurt and continues to train through the injury. In these situations, you do greater damage and have a much longer recovery time.

Am I Sore or Hurt?
One of the hardest thing for new runners to learn is the difference between being sore from training and being hurt. There is no hard and fast rule on this subject. If in doubt, seek the appropriate medical advice.

The best indicator is your level of pain. Never ignore pain as it is the body’s best indicator of the situation. If you are stiff or tender, do not be afraid of taking a day of rest. If the stiffness does not go away after several days of rest or after running a few minutes, you may have a more serious situation. That is when you need to seek assistance.

The bottom line: LISTEN TO YOUR BODY. As you become more experienced, you will learn the difference between being sore from training and being hurt. If you have a question, don’t be afraid to ask your coaches. We may not know, but we may be of assistance.

Use of Ice.
The most common treatment of minor injuries is the use of ice. When hurt and using ice, you will want to ice the injured area three to four times a day, 10 to 15 minutes at a time. For a lot of injuries, an ice massage is effective. Take a small paper cup and fill it 2/3 with water. Then put it in the freezer. Once frozen, tear the paper down to expose some ice while leaving some of the cup to hold. Then use the ice to massage the effected area.

Anti inflammatories.
Since most injuries are overuse injuries, there is usually inflammation involved. In these cases the use of over the counter anti inflammatory agents can help. Ibuprofen (Advil and the like) or Aleve are helpful in these situations.

Run hard, be strong, think big!…Percy Cerutty

06/24 Saturday Routes

There is a 8-mile route and a 5-mile route this weekend. We will meet in front of the YMCA. As always, be sure to do some stretching while waiting for everyone. Both groups will go the same direction again, but the 5-mile group will turnaround at the back of City Lake. The 8-mile group will continue through the streets and aventually cross over Hammond and wind their back.

If you want to add to the 5-mile route, continue past City Lake and follow the Intermedite Route to the end of Lafayette Circle and then return back to the lake and follow you normal route directions back to the YMCA. This should add roughly 3/4 of a mile to your run.

Training Plan Modifications

Several of you have asked questions about the training plans you are on. First of all. . . you are not alone. Many of you are on the intermediate plan, and are finding out this plan takes a lot time, and has a lot of miles. It also only allows one true rest/recovery day. These are all the same things I realized last year doing the same plan.

Before I encouraged anyone to modify the training plan, I wanted everyone to see how it was working for them, and how their body (both physically and mentally) responded. After six weeks you probably have those answers now.

There are countless ways to modify your training plan. If you are looking to reduce you miles on the Intermediate plan, I would first recommend using Sunday as a rest day. If you feel good, take a short jog, swim a few laps, or ride a bike, but don't feel obligated to exercise on Sunday. This is the most common way runners modify the intermediate plan, and is what I did last year. As the runs got longer, I needed extra recovery. Another option is to substitute a cross-training day for a running day. This works well if you have the time to exercise, but your body just can't take the extra pounding the running delivers.

If you are on the Novice plan and are looking to add mile, you can replace one of your cross training days with a running day. Just be careful to not over stress your body. Any time you are increase mileage or intensity, do it gradually so you minimize your risk of injury, and you can see how your body responds.

The bottom line, is this training is suppose to be fun. If you find that you are adding stress becuase you missed a run, they you will not be enjoying yourself. The plan is a guide, but not recipe. If you skip a step when making a cake, your cake will be bad. If you miss a step in your marathon training, you can still have a great marathon. Somedays you just need a day off. When you decide to take an occasional day of rest, enjoy it. . . don't worry.

You want your body to be ready for the Saturday run each week. This is your most important run, and should not be skipped. These runs have a slow increase each week and skipping a week can make the jump in miles tough to handle.

If you can tell now that your plan is too aggressive, or not aggressive enough, talk to Frank, myself, or email Don Garber. It is better to make adjustments early, so you have the right guide to follow. Plus, if you do cut back the miles, make your plan reflect that, so you don't feel like you are coming up short every week.

Marathon & Beyond

I expect some of you may have already read this fromt he Richmond Marathon web site. If not, this is a great detailed review of the race by Marathon and Beyond. The total write is 10 pages. It will take a few minutes to read, but it should help to get you excited about your upcoming race, and reinforce that you made a good decision deciding to run Richmond. For the full write up, click here.

Email #5 from Coach Don

This weekend will be our sixth weekend of running. For the first five weeks we have kept relatively the same mileage so you get used to running with the group and to start to build consistency in your running.

This week we start our climb to the marathon. Each week from here on out we will be increasing our mileage. For the summer our runs will increase one mile each week with a drop back in mileage every two weeks. Shortly after Labor we will be alternating long weeks with shorter weeks. These long weekend runs are the most important part of the training. So as we increase the mileage it is even more important that you get in the long weekend run. If you can't make Saturday you are always welcome on Sunday (for the Richmond Team). If you cannot make the weekend, try using the [email] to see if anyone else has a weekend problem and you can do the run on Friday or Monday.

Speaking of the message board, be sure to check it out on the website. (www.marathontrainingteam.com ). There are lots of good things on the message board. Each week one of the coaches, Ron Hilicki, maps out the route and posts a link. So if you area visual person and a map helps, look there. There have also been some good message trails that talked about stuff like water bottles, cramps, women's support garments and lots of other stuff.

There are also a number of groups running on days other than the long weekend run on the website. I see from the message board that there are other groups. So if you have a group running together, let me know and I will post it on the website.

Finally, lets have some fun. The 4th of July is rapidly approaching. So to celebrate, on the weekend of July 1 and 2 we will have our annual dress up for the Holiday contest. Rules are simple. Dress up in your best Red, White and Blue. It can be as simple as a red shirt and blue shorts. It can be a carried away as a participant several years ago that have her kids bodypaint her in the colors. Group costumes for the smaller group of your running buddies are encouraged. Only rule is that you have do to the run in your costume. And I reserve the right to make up anymore rules as I think of them....... All winners will be decided by the coaches. WE promise fair and unbiased judged but bribes will be considered......Those of you who are not native of this country are welcome to represent you native country. (Robin/Kevin...just no Guinness on the route please)

Have fun, see you this weekend.

Injury Prevention Clinic

Our next clinic is scheduled for Tuesday July 11th at 7:00 pm. We will once again meet at the YMCA. This clinic will be on Injury Prevention. Jeff Miller and Elaine Weisner from Nash Day Hospital Physical Therapy (and our training team) will be the speakers. They will discuss the back, lower extremity stretches and some common injuries related to running. This is a very important clinic. You are investing too much time into your race prepatation to take injury prevention lightly. Please make every effort to attend. Block out your calendars now.

How to stay cool

Here are some tips to stay cool. I found most of these on the internet, and added a few of my own. I expect nothing on this list will surprise you, but sometimes it helps to be reminded.

1. Slow down early - take a walk break if needed.
2. Wear lighter garments and not cotton- several materials will wick the perspiration away from your skin: coolmax, polypro, etc.
3. Pour water over yourself- pour water on your head, or even on your light coolmax (or similar material) singlet.
4. Run early or run late - stay away from the sun whenever possible.
5. Hats cover up the body's best vent. . . your head. If you are going to wear a hat it should be light in fabric, light in color, and well vented.
6. Drink cold water- it leaves the stomach quicker and it produces a slight physiological cooling effect- and even greater psychological cooling effect.
7. Don't eat a big meal- Eating too much (especially protein and fat) will put extra stress on your system when you exercise.
8. Find shady routes - Rocky Mount is full of shaded streets and trails. Take advantage of them.
9. Try to find a head wind - I know most people think a head wind is a bad thing, but in the summer it will cool your body. A tail wind just keeps you running in a pocket of you own hot air.
10. Run inside - Hit the roads whenever possible, but there are some days when 5 miles on a treadmill is better then 3 miles dragging through the heat.
11. Most importantly. . . Listen to your body and know when to stop!

Richmond Times Dispatch #3

Here is another article about some Training Team Members from the Richmond Times Dispatch. Ironically, the Jodi and Mike Pillow were at Disney the same time we were there. They even ran on the same trails that Ursula and I did. I saw several runners while on the trails. Who knew I could have been passing our teammates all the way in Orlando.

I missed another article from several weeks ago. This one is about Karen Zacharias. She lives in Richmond, but is now running marathons all over the world, including Mt. Kilimanjaro, Africa. I guess that it more impressive then me running by Space Mountain and Splash Mountain, huh?

Email #4 from Don Garber

As most of the registration has ended, I wanted to let you all know a little about our team

We have 794 individuals registered (plus 55 coaches). This includes 16 participants (and 2 coaches) in Rocky Mount, NC and one individual in Massachusetts. The team ranges in age from 21 to 67. It is 58% female. And 324 (41%) of you are people who have participated in a prior year or years.

I just want to relay a couple of email (slightly edited) that I got this week.

• Please move me from (Novice) to (Intermediate). I am definitely up to the increased training requirements of the Gold Team and would like to take advantage of your earlier offer to me of transferring Teams. Thank you for facilitating this move!
• I was wondering if I could switch to a beginners team. I am just barley keeping up with the intermediate schedule. My big fear is that I will end up with a breakdown in my body halfway through. I don't want to get too far into this and have it be too much and not be able to finish. Please let me know what you think. Thanks.

I wanted to share these because, after 4 weeks of running, you should be settling into your group. When we put you in teams, it was based on minimal information that you provided. If you are like one of the two people who sent these messages, please do not be afraid to move to the group that is right for you. If you still feel that you are somewhere in between, talk to your coach, talk to me, we may be able to modify the schedule to fit what is right for you.

Injury Prevention Clinic: This clinic will be on Monday night (June 19) at The Levinson Heart center at the Chippenham Campus of CJW Medical Center. It will begin at 6:00. Park in the main deck (first turn after exiting Chippenham) and proceed to the lobby where they will direct you to the room.

Dr. Doug Cutter will be the speaker. A good clinic to keep you on the road to staying healthy. For those of you in Rocky Mount, I will post the handout early next week. Good running this week. See you this weekend

Chip

It's Official. . .You are entered!

If you have not checked, everyone is now entered in the Richmond Marathon. If you do a search for North Carolina, you will see all of us bunched together under the training team. There is no turning back now!

Email #3 from Don Garber

IMPORTANT: Registration for the Battlefield (and Procrastinator's if we can get to it J ) Half Marathon will open on Wednesday, June 7. The races are on Labor Day weekend. That weekend there will be no group run, but rather we hope everyone will run a half marathon. It fits perfectly into the training. These races fill up very fast. (last year 6 days and will go faster this year.) So you will need to sign up this week. www.rrrc.org

Hydration: We talk about hydration. You need to think about it too. We will start having sag wagons in a few weeks but you need to always be aware of your hydration. As you dehydrate it impacts your performance (that is why it is harder to run longer distances in hotter weather. So think about keeping hydrated. Some of our runs will be going by water fountains. Use them.

Running Buddies: Our weekend runs are not races. They are training runs. Contrary to what some of our faster/more experienced runners think/do, they should not be run at maximum pace. The weekend runs are being run to build endurance. (We will do separate week day workouts to work on speed). So you should not be running these runs to maximum speed. If you are running the weekend workouts such that you feel great for the first 3/4 and then you struggle to finish the last 1/4, you may be starting out too fast. Slow down.

As you slow down, look at the other runners in front / in back of you. Find someone or multiple someones to run with. Even if you have to slightly modify your pace, you should now be making friends with the runners on your team. Then when we get into the longer runs you will not only have someone to talk to, you will have someone to help you thru the longer runs. This is of grave importance in making the training more enjoyable. So find you set of running buddies.

Next Clinic: Our next clinic will be Injury Prevention. It will be Monday night 6/19 at 6:00 at CJW Medical Center...Chippenham Campus. Stay tuned for more details/directions...

Note: We are working on an injury prevention clinic in Rocky Mount. More detail will be out soon.

Entering a Half Marathon

You all should have noticed by now that on Labor Day weekend your training plan calls for a half marathon. This weekend is important for two reasons:

1. You need to keep up the miles
2. You can go through the experience of running a race

The second point is important, especially if you have not run many races. Yes, it is true the most noticeable difference between racing and just running is that you pin a number on your shirt, but there is a little more to it then just that.

How will I sleep the night before? What do I eat for dinner? What do I eat for breakfast? How do I pin my number on my shirt? How early should I get there? When do I go to the bathroom before the race? Why are the port-o-pot lines so long? What is a ChampionChip, and how do I hook it to my shoe?

Some of these questions sound silly, but you will ask your self all of these on race weekend. Running in a half marathon lets you experience the nervousness and the fun of racing. This way when your marathon comes you will be more prepared, and maybe a little more relaxed.

One final point to consider. When you signed up to join the Training Team, your goal was to run a marathon. A half marathon will be very fun, and very exciting, but be smart when you run the race. If you go too hard and injure yourself, you risk the chance of finishing your marathon in November. Just don't forget your goal. . .

Now, for some races. There are three options that I know of for Labor day weekend. Two in Richmond, and one in Virginia Beach. You are not required to run any of them, but are encouraged. Here are the options:

• Sunday 9/3 Rock and Roll Half Marathon - Va Beach
  The Rock and Roll is a spectacle. With 20,000 runners, it is the largest half marathon in the US, and has some of the world's best runners. At least nine runners from our team are already entered. This race is full of bands, fans, and fun. It is also expensive ($80), and will likely require an expensive hotel.
• Sunday 9/3 Battlefield Half Marathon - Richmond
  This race fills up in six days. Registration starts tomorrow, so if you are interested sign up right away. It is one of the best deals available at only $10. You will see lots of Training Team members from Richmond at this race, so it would give you a chance to meet some new team-mates. I am not positive, but Don Garber has been the race director in years past, so you can meet him as well.
• Saturday 9/2 Procrastinator's Half Marathon - Richmond
  This race was new last year. It was largely made for those Training Team runners who were too slow to register for the Battlefield. Unlike the Rock and Roll Half, this is only $10 to enter. It will not have the frills of a big race, but will give you a nice run through Bryan Park in Richmond. This registration also opens tomorrow and will fill up shortly after the Battlefield race does.

06/10 Saturday Routes

Our running routes for this Saturday are now available. This week there is a 7-mile and 4-mile route. With the slightly longer runs, we are able to hit a few new streets on the 7-mile route, so be sure to review it prior to Saturday. We have not lost a runner yet, and we would like to keep it up. The detailed directions are available under the Written Routes link to the right. Look for City Lake + Hammond. The map is to the right as well. Look under the YMCA Route Maps. I also emailed out some mini "pocket" directions you can print if you are unfamiliar with the route.

The four mile route will be the same as last week except you will continue towards Sunset Ave. on the paved trail. At the skate park you will see a yellow 2 painted on the ground (beside a fire hydrant). Turn around here and return to the YMCA. If you would like to run 4.8, continue across Sunset, and run on Lake Drive. At the back of the lake, pick up the paved trail and finish the loop. Cross back over Sunset and head to the YMCA.
I will be gone the next two weekends, but Frank will be leading the group out and available for any questions.

Note: When viewing the maps, use the + and - buttons to zoom in and see more details. You can also use the arrow keys to move around the map, or use you mouse to drag the map. The buttons are located on the top left of the map.

Account for Heat

The following is from Jeff Galloway. This is very important information to consider. As the heat rises you simply must adjust your expectations. This not only applies to racing, but also to training. You cannot run your favorite training route on two different days and expect the same results when one day is 20 degrees hotter.

The hot and sticky days of summer are here. Make sure that you are making some adjustments in your running. Most runners begin to slow down at 55 degrees and start suffering at 65 degrees. Of course, the body can adapt to heat stress and push the threshold up a bit, but you usually can't run as fast on a 75 degree day as on a 45 degree one. High humidity is also a major problem. It's like a wet blanket; it doesn't allow much evaporation or perspiration and your body heat builds up.

If you try to run too hard in hot or humid conditions you'll hit "the wall" sooner than expected. Trying to maintain a goal pace in heat is like going out too fast early in the race. Temperatures generally increase hour by hour; therefore you must adjust your pace for the temperature expected at the end of the race.

Adjusting Race Pace for Heat: Estimated temperature at finish - Slower than goal pace - 8 min mile becomes...

• 55-60 degrees - 1% - 8:05
• 60-65 degrees - 3% - 8:15
• 65-70 degrees - 5% - 8:25
• 70-75 degrees - 7% - 8:35
• 75-80 degrees - 12% - 8:58
• 80-85 degrees - 20% - 9:35
• Above 85 degrees - Forget it... run for fun

* Note: This chart is based upon Jeff Golloway's own experience in the heat and talking to other runners. It has no scientific verification.