Adarq.org

good idea to stop the treadmill runs.

After getting a headache 2km into my intended 3km test today I got frustrated. My result, 2km in 7:46, translates to a 20:30 5k by pace, which means essentially zero improvement over the last year. I haven't been the most consistent with training but I haven't been a complete slouch, either. Zero improvement would be depressing. So I did a bit of research about running the heat. Turns out, humidity is worse than heat because it impedes sweating. That makes sense. It has been super humid here this summer.

Humidity is measured by % or by dew point. This article - https://runnersconnect.net/dew-point-effect-running/ - from Runners Connect showing the dew point effect on running. Forgive the fucked up formatting, hopefully it's legible at least.

Dew Point in °F (°C)                 Performance Adjustment   Easy Running   Hard Running
<55 °F (12°C)                         0%                                   Unaffected           Unaffected
55°F (13°C) to 60 °F (15°C)      1%                                   Unaffected           Slightly difficult
60°F (16°C) to 65 °F (18°C)      2-3%                                Slightly difficult   Difficult
65°F (18°C) to 70°F (21°C)      3-5%                                 Difficult           Very difficult
70°F (21°C) to 75°F (23°C)      5-8%                                 Difficult           Very difficult
75°F (23°C) to 80°F (25°C)      12-15%                             Very difficult   Not recommended
Above 80°F (25°C)                      Just run                         Not recommended  Not recommended

Anyway the dew point here today is 75 degrees, and air temp 90. According to the chart that means easy running should be difficult and hard running very difficult, edging into not recommended. Calculators should always be taken with a grain of salt but it's a bit of a relief to see how much of an impact the dew point is expected to have.

I've said it before and I'll say it again, I can't wait to run in cooler and less humid weather. Only one way to find out how true this all is.

Also, adarq, for the love of god: Get yourself to some autumn races where it's cool and dry. Like go as far north as North Carolina at least, in October or November. I'm tryna see you run 16:20.

Some other stuff I found in my researches:

cool multi-output estimator: https://fellrnr.com/wiki/Running_Calculator
dew point calculator: http://www.dpcalc.org/
race time estimator: https://www.chicagoendurancesports.com/racepredict.htm

- 3km 2km test: warm up x 3km plus a bit of walking; begin 3 km sub-12 test, cut off at 2 km because of headache; cool down x 4.32km
did 2 km in 7:46, one mile in ~6:12. felt sick earlier in the day but seemed okay by the time i started. realized partway through tonight that this is the third time i've tested myself this year and 2/3 times i've felt sick on the day. dumb. total distance ~9.8 km including some walking while watch was paused.

- stretch

32/90 degrees and 60% humidity (latter feels worse actually).

that's funny, we're moving on the same day, although gf and i won't finish our move until we find a place in london in early september. this is the first time i've had to use professional movers, always just used a combination of self and parents/friends before. when i moved from the states to pakistan it was just two boxes sent via fedex and a couple of suitcases. but my gf and i have managed to accumulate several substantial pieces of furniture that we want to hold onto, a couple hundred books (how did i let that happen?! i finally bought a kindle before i moved out here specifically to avoid getting more books!), and a bunch of art. so movers it is.

^^^thanks!

last night

- GMB warm up

- pirouettes x ~10/leg
better than i expected given how long it'd been since i did these. nailed at least a couple.

- scales x 5,5/leg

- pull up breathing ladder x 1,2,3,2,1,2,3,2,1

- stretch

so at least my run-less night wasn't a complete waste

tonight

- run 9.41 km in 49:58

- stretch

the storm broke the heat but not the humidity, which is up to 90%.

got home and started helping my gf with something. now it's pouring, pouring rain. too scary to run on the street with visibility this bad and the track will be a pond. hilariously, the weather report is that it's currently clear. i'm annoyed, i should have looked at the forecast before i started working on this thing. could have run first. got an early morning meeting tomorrow as well so can't make it up then. bah.

on the plus side, today i finally got into grad school (17th grade! scholastic level PR!) (also what up, joe, i'm moving to london) and my organization signed a multimillion-dollar grant that will enable us to do some great work.

no knee pain