Elver repeats in the scorching heat

Food poisoning is brutal...or it is for those of us who don't handle it very well. Today is the first day I've felt 100% all day since I got food poisoning last Monday. It took a full 7 days to get over it...and it took its toll.

Sunday I went out for a run. Eight miles, which isn't a tough run this year. I've done a lot of distance so 8 miles on a Sunday isn't a big deal. But I completely fell apart. My pace went from 7:40 on the first mile to 8:55 on the last mile. I had to stop and rest at some intersections (I pretended I was waiting for cars, but there were none in sight).

And those 8 miles made me very sore. The dehydration and nutrient lose from the food poisoning did some damage, and I've been paying the price the past two days.

So..... I planned a big three week block of training to get ready for Racine before I left for Park City. Three tough weeks, and this is week one...and I'm sore and tired already. It's going to be a tough training block. This isn't how I wanted to start it out.

Today was my first key workout so I was a little nervous. I wanted it to go well. The plan was Elver hill repeats. I decided I wanted extra miles so I changed my route...and good thing too. Typically, I run down Hammersley to Elver, run the hill, and then run back down Hammersley. Today, I opted to cut over to Raymond then McKenna to Elver. It's 3 miles each way instead of 2.

Matt also did Elver repeats today, and he stuck with the Hammersley route and said he saw about 7 police cars on Hammersley today and it made him a little uneasy (there was a shooting on Hammersley the other day in the middle of the day so it's making me think twice about running down there at lunch).

Anyway, my first key workout and it's the hottest day of the year. I love the heat, but that doesn't mean it doesn't get the best of me from time to time. And coming off illness I wasn't sure if I'd be able to handle hill repeats in 90 degree temps. But I'm dumb enough to give it a go.

The run there was pretty easy. I felt good and barely broke a sweat. My legs felt pretty sluggish, but I was happy with my pace. Then came the hill. Elver hill is brutal, and there's no tree cover. You're out in the open fully exposed to that big burning globe trying to melt the skin off your back. As much as I feared the heat, I was loving it. I love a hot, summer day. Although I admit hot, summer days are better spent lounging in a pool instead of sprinting up hills.

I did six repeats. My goal was to do them all in under 30 seconds (the hill is about 360 feet and finishes off at about a 21-23% grade - it starts around 10% I think), and I hit my goal: 27, 29, 29, 29, 29, 27. It's funny how I can run 27s on the first and last but couldn't come in under 29 in the middle of the workout.

The way back was brutal. I was spent. My legs were fried and I was overheating. I had a tough time catching my breath and I wanted to walk. It felt like the Ironman. I wanted to quit, but I knew I could keep going. It was a test of willpower. It was a great workout, but I'm sure I'll be feeling it tomorrow.

Even though I'm paying the price for getting sick, I nailed my first key workout so I'm really happy with that. My next key workout is Thursday, and I'm not very confident that one is going to go well. It's a long, tempo brick in the evening and it's still going to be pretty hot. I don't think I can hit my numbers, but I'll give it my all and see what happens.