Friday, April 04, 2008

YOUR LONGEST AND HOTTEST RUNS???

The MDS runners have now completed more than 115 miles (185 kilometers) and have experienced temperatures that have exceeded 120 degrees Fahrenheit by some reports (58 degrees celsius).

Question for YOU:

How many miles have you logged in your longest week of training?

What is the hottest temperature you have run in and where were you?

Share your stories!!! Happy Feet!!!

Lisa

16 comments:

Anonymous said...

100 miles or so at Desert RATS last Spring. I don't think the temps ever broke 100 degrees, but it felt SOOO hot. Can't imagine what the heat of the Sahara must feel like! Congrats to everyone at MDS!!

---Colleen---

Anonymous said...

Not including race weeks ~ 90 miles/ Hottest, 100 at Alexander ridge at the Wasatch 100 in 2004.

Indeed 120 for hours, shew!
Katy

TonyP said...

Leaving out race weeks, somewhere in the upper 60s / low 70s.

In the summer, temps can get into the 90s - I've had a few training runs in 90 degree weather (but never into the 100s).

Olga said...

117M for a trainign highest week.

117F for a highest ever temp I had run in - at WS in 2006 in canyons. I also hiked in Death Valley at 132F, so have no idea how you run in it!

scott morgan said...

I have done some monster weeks. last year right before we did Badwater I was at daily base mileage of 14 miles per day. I did this five days per week and threw in longer run usually up/down a mountain. Using Whitney my mileage would have been 5 days x 14 miles plus 1 day x 22 miles. Lets see that 92 miles per week.

The hottest day was a few Badwater ago during the fires, maybe 2002. I think the hottest temperature that year was well above 130.

Last year on 7/4/2007 I was running Whitney and it was brutally hot, I remember on the traverse to summit there was no wind at all, it must have been 90+ degrees and the sun was just beating down. That may have been hottest/hardest thing I have ever done.

Can't wait to run with your team again this year at BW

Scott

Anonymous said...

Without referencing my training log, I think my hottest run/hike was last July on Mt. Diablo. I had a pack on (with lots of water). I believe it was over 100. I kept making deals with myself. Just get to the next tree and you can walk, sloooowly. : )
The most memorable moment was when I took a side trail to a deserted picnic area. Ahhh, the bliss.
I put my head under the tap and drank my fill. Jacki

Trace said...

Oooh... well, I'm just starting out with ultra running, having done my first 50M in November - and, my longest race up until that point was just a 1/2 marathon. But, in preparation for the 50M, my longest week was 70 miles, 35miles of which were power walking.

The hottest temp I have run in was about 118, last year as a pacer at Badwater for Greg Pressler (Press, you rock, man!!!).

For all you experienced ultra runners reading this - you guys ALL inspire me and help to motivate me to do greater things! You are amazing!
-Tracy

Anonymous said...

Hottest temperature I've ran in was 53C (127F), September 2005 at the Sahara Race. This was my first desert ultra and the heat was something I've never ever known. I went into a stupor on Day 1 and was apparently babbling like an idiot until someone led me to sit under the shade of a big rock and poured water over my head to cool me down. Amazingly enough, the human body adapts and by Day 3, the heat was bearable and almost "not too bad"!!
Tess

Bryon Powell said...

My longest "training week" (no races) was 114.5 miles from day 2 of the Grand Teton 100 through Wasatch last year... and that goes up to 150 miles for an 8 day stretch with Day 1 of GT100 thrown in.

With a 100 mile race included my highest week is 120 for the 7 days ending with Wasatch '05. Highest 8 days is 156.5 a 100 miler thrown in.

Hottest would be WS 2006. I heard 116F in the canyons. Ugh.

Anonymous said...

Hi Lisa,

My longest week of training is actually happening right now. I have the privilege to be pre-registered with DreamChaserEvents for the 2009 MdS. To get into the spirit of the race I have taken a week vacation and decided to run roughly half of the 2008 MdS mileage or about 75 miles and on the same schedule:
Sunday 03/30: 10 miles
Monday 03/31: 10 miles
Tuesday 04/01: 10 miles
Wednesday 04/02: 25 miles
Thursday 04/03: rest
Friday 04/04: 13.1 miles
Saturday 04/05: 7 miles
I have been running these miles along a beach bike path in Southern California where I reside. Not only am I doing 1/2 MdS mileage, but I am doing it in temperatures which are about 1/2 the MdS ones as well (50 to 60 degrees Fahrenheit).

My hottest run was probably in Palm Springs, California: about 96F, in late spring last year.

I am sorry you didn't get to participate in this year MdS, but it's been lucky for all us who read your blog daily, as you are bringing the MdS so much closer to home.

Francis Labrune

Unknown said...

Sorry if this posts twice...

55 or 60 miles and that was 2 weeks ago. I had cold temperatures here in Teton Valley, Idaho!

The hottest was in Darby Montana in July 2006. It was probably 90+ degrees that day. I was preparing for my first marathon, the GTR Trail marathon. I found a 12 pack of Coors Light cans in the cool shade and took a sip of yucky, cool beer. From the heat, I chaffed in places that I haven't chaffed before or since.

I can't imagine what the MdS people are feeling in this heat!

Lisa Smith-Batchen said...

This is wonderful, some impressive training going on out there!
Keep it coming, people want to know!!!

Lisa

Anonymous said...

120 miles in one week

did my own 100 mile run through death valley. It was close to 110.
Cool so many are doing great stuff.

Bob

Anonymous said...

Great news from the MDS!!! Way to go Michele and Mike!

I think my longest training week was around 90 miles before RR in 2007.

Hottest run was last summer in Death Valley, 15-20 min, about 116 degrees.

bizyah said...

I try to keep my big weeks to 140, but had a 7 day stretch this winter where I hit 155 which is definitely the most straight mileage I've done. There've been a few 35 hour weeks of 100+ miles of running a a few hundred kilometers of nordic skiing in my past.

Here in the midwest we struggle to get over 100 for our hot days, but I've run on a few of those. When the humidity gets real high though I recall a few 96-97 degree days where the heat index was 115-120 and running was just tough. One day back when I was in high school sticks in my mind. My best friend Adam and I were doing a 12 miler around the lakes in Minneapolis after caddying two rounds of golf. There's a fountain in the roadway up on Lake of the Isles near the halfway point of the run and we ended up just sitting in the water there for a half hour until a couple dogs hopped in with us and the park police drove around the corner. . .

It's been soooo exciting to read about the MDS again this year--one of my favorite parts of spring the last couple years has been constantly checking Lisa's blog and the race website for updates on everyone, scanning the photo galleries for familiar faces, and forcing myself to read french for as long as I can. I was telling my poor mom all about the race and the racers and she was so impressed that people would knowingly take on the Sahara like that, but I can't say she was thrilled when I told her I thought it sounded like fun :)

My hat goes off to everyone over there pushing through the dunes and the heat, there's no easy way to cross a desert on foot! One of my greatest hopes is to build up the strength and courage to follow in their footsteps. Congratulations to everyone who made the trip to Morocco, you're living one of my dreams right now!!!

Lisa Smith-Batchen said...

This is a very impressive list:)

Now there are many, many more who can say they just did 152 miles in 6 days with 20 pounds on there back!!!
Wow, yeah for all of you

Lisa