I’m linking up today with Erika, April and Patty for Tuesdays on the Run.
This week we’re talking about extreme race conditions. If you hang around here you know that extreme is my middle name. My friends call me a bad weather magnet and they may be right. I’ve actually raced in more than my share of less than optimal weather. Let’s review:
Heat
It all started at my first marathon. The inferno that was Chicago 2007. The day dawned sultry and went downhill from there. I ran…and walked…and swore…through 88-degree heat (93+ in the sun) with 90% humidity. 10,000 runners chose not to start the race and almost 11,000 started but did not finish. I was somewhere in the vicinity of mile 22 when they officially shut down the race, turned off the time clocks and urged us all to board cooling buses.
Runners were reeling and going down all around me. Sirens blared, helicopters hovered. It was apocalyptic.
It was tough, but I finished that sucker. At the end I was angry, sunburned and vowed never to run another marathon. In an odd way, I was fortunate this was my first experience with the marathon distance as I didn’t know any better. I didn’t know a marathon under more ideal conditions was nowhere near as agonizing as this.
Torrential Rain/Sleet/Lightning
There were two races that offered up this challenging mixed bag of weather. I can do hard rain and stinging sideways sleet. But lightning scares me and makes me consider turning back. It was 35 degrees and started pouring as soon as I entered the starting corral at the March Madness Half. Rain turned to freezing rain, hail, then back to a mega windy thunderstorm with plenty of lightning. At mile 11 or so lightning hit a tree not 50 feet from me. It was terrifying. But we had no choice but to run it in.
Here’s my shell-shocked, drowned rat post-race pic from that escapade.
Hurricane Sandy
Marine Corps Marathon 2012. The conditions at this race weren’t terrible but things grew ominous at about the 20 mile mark. The winds swelled, the temps cooled and it was a race to the finish because I knew we had to flee the hurricane.
Our flight was cancelled so the Caveman rented a car one-way and we got the heck out of there. We didn’t stop driving until we made it to Ohio.
and finally, High Winds.
New York City Marathon, 2014. We experienced high winds here in Chicago the week leading up to NYCM and as the race drew near the forecast showed more of the same there. I didn’t find out until the day before that they would be headwinds in the neighborhood of 25 mph and gusting beyond 40 mph for most of the race. The wind on the Verazzano Narrows bridge was incredible and the headwinds were tough. But I wasn’t going to let that ruin my race.
You’ll notice, I’m not mentioning any really cold races. Compared to those I mentioned above, I like cold just fine.
Tips for conquering challenging race conditions:
- Stalk the weather.
- Make peace with the fact that you may need to let go of your planned paces or any goals you set. There’ll be other races.
- Get your head around the conditions. Visualize pushing through. The more mentally prepared you are for adverse conditions, the better.
- Dress accordingly and bring clothes to change into.
- Adjust your hydration and fuel accordingly. In NYCM the high winds were extremely dehydrating. I failed to drink enough.
- Safety first: It’s totally ok not to run at all. If I got a do-over, I wouldn’t run Chicago ’07. I’d have waited a week or two and run one of the marathons in surrounding states. I’m looking at you Michigan and Indiana. As a newbie, this did not occur to me at the time.
What extreme weather conditions have you encountered while racing?
I don’t think I’ve run in weather quite as bad as what you discussed, but I think racing in the heat is the worst! I also didn’t enjoy running the Houston marathon in the rain, cold, and wind! Your tips are great- I have been stalking the weather for my race this weekend and plan to just do my best in whatever conditions we have.
Lisa I keep thinking what if Philly were as cold as it is here right now in Chicago? That would be brutal. Banish the thought!
I am such a baby, because if weather conditions are that bad, I simply don’t run. I’ve really only dealt with extreme heat (the Esprit de She last year), and I decided not to run because I was pregnant. And this cold weather lately has just taken me to the ‘mill instead:)
Meghan I see no shame in heading to the mill whatsoever. In fact being able to get one’s head around the mill takes mental tenacity in itself. 🙂
monsoon rain for the Love Run half this year in Philly and sleet/freezing rain for the Lake George Half 2011…so proud that I survived…
I think the most extreme race weather may have been sunlight since I tend to run in the dark. I can’t even imagine trying to outrun a hurricane!
Heavy rain and a thunderstorm is now predicted for my 50K race day. The good is that even though I don’t like roots, they do give me something to sort of grab onto when it’s muddy!
Way to find the positive, Tina! All the best with your 50k!
I cannot imagine running a race in hail!! I parked in an area that had a dip in it so I went out to move it (and roll up my windows) during a hail storm. When I went outside the water was up to the doors. As I walked out there the hail pelted me in the face and on the head. I felt as though I was getting a concussion with each one!
I don’t think I’ve had to deal with anything worse than a bit of rain during a race. I’ve run a relay in really high temps but the distance was short and it didn’t matter if I ran slow. You’re tough for finishing those events. They sound like they were brutal.
Here in SC all our summer races have real feels over 100. Yuck!
I also ran the 2013 Nashville full in pouring rain start to finish…. uggghhhh
Bad weather magnet, eh? Does this mean I need to prepare myself for the worst for our Turkey Trot?
Wendy gosh I hope not! But one never knows….
Ummmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm, I don’t race & I hide from bad weather. I may have been born on the east coast but my blood runs CA now! 🙂
Wow, you really have run through some seriously crazy weather! Props to you- I can do cold, rain, sleet and snow but that heat, lightening and hurricane are a whole other story!
Great tips! Weather is one of the things I think most racers fail to really prepare for.
I just read MCM Mama’s worst conditions post– you guys have been through some weather hell. I am one of those weird people who thinks that extreme weather increases my challenge factor. Except heat– You will never see me raise my hand for Badwater.. ever.
Great post! I ran 2007 Chicago and this year’s NYC… also Boston 2004 (85 degrees at start) and Boston 2007 (Nor’easter) and a slew of rainy ones (no hurricanes!) I think your second tip is the most important. Make peace. I tried to run 2007 Chicago as if it was normal conditions. I ran 1:48 for the first half. That meant I walked the majority of the last 10K!
Great tips! Chicago that year was scary! And I live 3 miles from the MCM finish, so we got to experience Sandy after you escaped LOL. I was supposed to work the expo and ended up having to do stuff to prepare my house.
When I just accept the race conditions rather than fight it and grumble all is good. It is what it is.
Erika that hurricane was also the cause of many blogger meetup cancellations. Bummed I didn’t get to meet you then!
Ugh Erica, sorry about the nasty Bostons! I have to say the weather at both of mine was miraculously ideal.
Stalk the weather! LOL. That is so ME. If its bad, I just say “Its a Dig Deep Day” Triple D.
hmm. this year: rain, wind, and hail. each at different races, rain at multiple times. I’ve learned you can’t change it, and to suck it up buttercup! 🙂
I don’t run anymore but I was doing a cancer walk and they had to cancel the event half way through. It was too windy and raining too hard.
The lightening would absolutely totally freak me out! That is seriously scary!-Ashley
Ironically I ran chicago for the first time in 2006 and it snowed at the start– it was later in Chicago– I believe 10/21 was the date- perhaps that is why they pushed it to earlier in the month after that– Of course when I ran it again in 2010 is was HOT– I like the cold much better but I still won’t run in dead of winter– mostly because it’s too dark out when I have the time to run–
One summer my husband and I binged watched seasons of 24 and all summer long I felt like I was being chased by bad guys when I ran! Haha
Laura I ran Chi in 2010 as well! Yes hot again!
Great tips! I lived in SC for years, so I dealt with overwhelming heat for a long time. I simply couldn’t run in it, I always felt like I was going to pass out! Now in Vermont I deal with the opposite: freeeeeezing temps!
Wow. Just…wow. Those all sound absolutely terrifying. I’ve run through the outer bands of tropical storms before, but Hurricane Sandy! Lightning hitting trees! Sleet! You are crazy tough!