Running subborn

I planned to run an 8 miler on Thursday. My mom is visiting and agreed to pick up my son from daycare, yay! On Wednesday, everyone in the area kept talking about the 90 degree weather that we were going to get on Thursday, but that did not concern me at all. In fact, I never ever care about the weather when I run. I put up with the cold and snow by telling myself to suck it up for a mile and then it will get easier (always true). In the warm weather, well, i cover myself with sunscreen, drink lots of water and on my way I go.

So I headed out on Thursday around 4:30 pm with my new water belt with Nuun and water. First two miles flew by at a 7:11pace, effortless. I knew it was too fast, but when I don't have a training schedule to tell me how fast I should go, well, I go too fast. Live and learn, except that I never do. Back to the run. Two miles into it I had drunk all the Nuun and water in 3 of my water bottles. It was so hot that my lips and throat were so dry that they hurt. I knew that I could get more water from a fountain at mile 4, but I was concerned that I was drinking too much. At mile 3 I was feeling nauseous and my pace was slowing down. I debated turning around, but that would mean admitting failure and I was not to do that. Yes, I am stubborn like that. I was listening to NPR's This American Life and was almost crying because the story was so sad, or maybe because I was feeling kinda sorry for myself. I stopped and got water at the 1/2 way mark. Pace was 7:30. I rested for a minute or so, switched my I-pod to shuffle hoping for some upbeat songs, and off I went. I kept drinking water even though I could hear it sloshing in my stomach, as my lips and throat were too dry. I started feeling grateful that I have never felt this sick in a race ever before. Cardiovascularly I was absolutely fine (which is great!), but my pace was slowing down because of nausea and stomach pain. I finally made it home, 8 miles, average pace 7:34, grabbed a bottle of Gatorade from the fridge and prepped my icebath. Thirty minutes later I felt absolutely fine and so energized that I stayed up late working on some research that I had been putting off for a long time. Something good always come out from something not so good, right? I am still trying to figure our why I felt so bad. Too much water? Too fast a pace for such hot weather? To abrupt of a switch from warm to hot weather? Regardless, I am feeling a bit uneasy about my 13 miler tomorrow (though I will be running early in the a.m.) and about marathon training during July and August. I have a feeling I might just have to embrace the nausea, the stomach pain and all, as the plan asks for some scary speed and tempo paces this time around. Lets just hope for a cooler summer....yeah, right!