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Dumbo Double Dare Training - Week Seven

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SAN ANTONIO -- It wasn’t a restful night of recovery for LeBron James following his body’s betrayal on his sport’s biggest stage. James had over two bags of fluids pumped into his body after Game 1 of the NBA Finals, and that doesn’t count all the salt tablets and potassium pills and sports drinks and recovery concoctions that he consumed following the 110-95 loss. All that stuff had to go somewhere, so James was up all night walking back and forth from his hotel room’s bed to his hotel room’s bathroom. “Obviously, I got no sleep,” James said. All the more time to beat himself up over something he simply couldn’t control. – excerpt from Miami Herald article by Joseph Goodman

It’s already week seven in the Dumbo Double Dare training program! I hope you are feeling stronger and are making progress towards the big event in late August. And speaking of late August in Anaheim, are you prepared to run or walk in what is traditionally a very hot (and occasionally humid) weekend? The average high in Disneyland in August is 89 degrees with the low around 65. According to Jeff Galloway, even a 65 degree start at 5:30 a.m. is too warm by almost 10 degrees. And that is just average. In 2007, the Disneyland Half Marathon came close to being black-flagged (i.e., canceled) due to extreme weather conditions at the start. runDisney takes hot weather seriously and so should you.

As the recent bro-hah-hah over LeBron James and the heat-related leg cramps he suffered in Game 1 of the NBA finals shows, not everyone physically reacts well to hot conditions; even very large and very well-paid athletes can suffer when temperatures hit high-digits. Too warm of conditions can cause not only cramps but may cause dizziness, fatigue, and may even impact not only your performance that day but you may deal with issues for weeks if not months after. Heat exhaustion and heat stroke should not be trifled with.

So how should you best deal with warm temperatures especially if you are training in a cooler climate such as the Pacific Northwest? The latest issue of Runner’s World has a few tips to keep in mind that may help you safely navigate the weekend heat during the Dumbo Double Dare Challenge. As a Disneyland Half Marathon Legacy Runner (yup, I’ve run them all since the inaugural event in 2006), I’ve tossed in one or two of my own as well.

Stay cool. Slip ice under your hat or in your sports bra. Adding in a sponge will help keep you cooler by absorbing some of the melting ice which then prolongs the cooling effect. Once the ice melts you can then reapply water to the sponge at the water stations along the course. Team MousePlanet has also been known to hand out sponges at their cheer station out on the course so keep a eye out if you find you need one.

Stay safe. Run in the coolest part of the day. While the Disneyland half marathon starts at 5:30 a.m., there is a good chance it will already be warm by that time in the morning. Once the sun is officially out, there is not a lot of shade along the Disneyland Half Marathon course to hide in and it does heat up quick out on the roads. While you may technically be running in the coolest part of the day, be prepared that it may still be uncomfortably warm and adjust your estimated finish time down to accommodate the heat.

Don’t forget sunglasses and sunscreen. While you will be leaving your homes or hotels in the dark to get to the race start, sunrise should happen around 6:25 a.m. Sunday morning. The speedy folks in the first corral may be close to finishing the half marathon by that time but for the rest of us (depending on corral placement and our abilities), we may still have an hour or two or three left in our run or walk. You want to enjoy the race not spend your time squinting and/or frying in the sun.

Stay in. If temperatures are sizzling, resist the urge to spend the day prior to the half marathon in the park especially during the late afternoon when the sun is the hottest. You will wear yourself out faster and may end up with residual effects from the heat the next morning.

Hydrate. Make sure to hydrate well in the days leading up to the race and replenish your electrolytes during the run/walk. Either carry your own electrolytes along with you or take advantage of the sports drink offered at water stations along the course. Just make sure you test your reaction to what will be served. There is nothing worse than finding out during a race that that particular sports drink and your system aren’t a good mix.

Watch your salt. If you start to see your fingers puffing and/or taste salt on your lips, you may need to take in more salt. If you know you ‘puff’, take along a salty snack, a salt packet (keep it in a baggie so it doesn’t get wet) or even mustard as some of the Team MousePlanet team does to keep things in balance.

Go Frozen. Freeze a bottle or two of ice water the night before. While runDisney is good about having cooling towels and water at the finish, there is nothing better if you are overheated than rolling a frozen water bottle over your exposed skin (especially the back of the neck) to cool you down. Ask your cheer squad to bring it along to the finish line with them so it’s waiting there for you.

With a little planning, you should be able to enjoy your Dumbo Double Dare experience no matter the weather in Disneyland!

Hope you had a good MM last week and are ready to bump up the long run mileage this weekend. Enjoy your week!
  • Monday – Barre3 (travel)
  • Tuesday – 30 to 45 minutes running
  • Wednesday - weight training
  • Thursday - 30 to 45 minutes running (travel)
  • Friday - Barre3
  • Saturday – 8 mile run
  • Sunday – Rest

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