Less Than 100 Heat Training Days...

Last weekend I took a 4 day trip to Arizona and hung out with my parents.

A few days earlier I did two Rock Repeats plus some, and got sore from the quad bashing, but it was a good start. I took it super easy. Now I just have to be consistent and get up there on a weekly or every-other-week routine. I'm already hearing it's a bad rattlesnake season, and that's even more reason to be on the Rock Repeat course. Nice and wide, easy to see snakes.

I got about 30 miles on the canal, spent time out there late morning when it was warming up. It wasn't HOT, but I did do some walking in the afternoons when it was near 90 degrees. A good way to get started on the heat training, anyway.

There were ducks, rats, bunnies, and birds everywhere along the canal. Everyone was out enjoying the sunshine and mild weather before the heat comes crashing down.

I don't usually go down there in April, but I forgot that all the desert plants are still in bloom, and it's before things heat up so much that everything dries out, so it was colorful.

We hung out close to home, talked about my business, my dad's treatment and activities, and how he's feeling, and really didn't do too much other than that. It was relaxing and a good way to spend time together. Dad is tired, but he's still doing his workouts. They are much less intense, but he still does some weights and some easy walking. He has a tendency to push himself too hard all day with errands and chores around the house. That's just who he is. It does catch up with him, and he's forced to take down time to rest.

I did get to see my niece Jenny in her last high school play, and saw my brother and sister-in-law. That was fun. Jenny is off to Ashland, Oregon in the fall for college. I can't believe how fast the 18 years went by.

When I got back from Arizona, the next day I was on a conference call with Bob's crew for his Badwater Double plans this summer. The crew consists of most of his crew from last year at Badwater, and one new guy. And then me, for the return trip. He's had trouble getting Whitney permits, but we're still trying.

I need to get on with some serious heat training, if nothing else. I've been getting 50 or more miles a week on my feet but a lot of it has been walking. I'm just not motivated to run. In Death Valley the pace is so slow that it won't matter, but the heat training will! I have several options, other than sitting in the sauna. I can sit in my car, I can overdress on my runs on hot days, and I can sit in the woman cave without using the air conditioning once it gets hot. It can get pretty toasty in the cave, with all the sun and windows.

And I will probably go down to Arizona again at least one more time before summer kicks in up here. All kinds of possibilities.

The trails up high should be accessible early the way the weather has been. We did get a huge dump of snow last week but it's been warm ever since. Between heat training and trail running, I should be ready for everything, since I am looking at an October Grand Canyon run, too.

Now if I could just find my everyday motivation to get the workouts in...