Hot hot heat (relatively speaking) ... 14 miles in Napa Valley

The idea was simple: run 18-20 on the Napa Valley Marathon course. After all, the weather has been cold lately...most recent runs required gloves and/or long sleeves...most run in the tule fog that lingers feet off the road. Most runs done on the local farm roads around Davis, Winters, or Dixon. Flat. All flat. Not a hill to be found anywhere (unless you count the I-80 overpasses). So when the newspaper said sunny and 71 in Napa Valley, that sounded like a nice change...until I got there and found it was sunny and about 80 degrees. Those from the warm climes of Tucson will scoff at 80 degrees; those from the arctic zones of the midwest and the east will say "stfu"...it's like -25 degrees here. Fair enough. Add the heat to the "hills" of Silverado Trail (the route of the NVM) + me running out of water at 8 miles = not a fun run. So what was meant to be 20 or so ended up 14 (with lots of stops). Not so great.

Now on those "hills"...they aren't hills per se, but rather rolling risers...but to someone who only runs in Davis where a 5-6 foot deviation from our 55 foot elevation constitutes an assault on Pikes Peak, these risers seemed positively Everest-esque to my dull legs. In other words, between now and March 6, I better find some hills to run on or I'm toast by mile 13.

But the plan was a good one nonetheless: 1) drive to Napa. 2) drop Arlen and Jackson off at the CIA (Culinary Institute of America) where they have the best cooking store ever; 3) I start running while Arlen and J hang out at the CIA for a bit; 4) Approximately 30 mins later, Arlen and Jax head for Bouchon, Thomas Keller's French bistro in Yountville. 5) Me? I run there making up additional distance as necessary, culminating in an 18-20 mile run.

It didn't quite work out like that. By mile 6, I knew I was in for a bit of trouble. Water bottle was emptying quicker than normal. And the heat. My God the heat. It's here where I have to stop and apologize to the residents and visitors of Napa Valley. It became clear that to stay cool, I would have to run without a shirt. This is not, I am assuming, a pleasant site to either a) oncoming or b) passing traffic. I heartily apologize for this outrage. But I got 14 miles out of this thing.

To the times (acknowledging I had to stop at several points):
M1: 7:35
M2: 7:31
M3: 7:29
M4: 7:30
M5: 7:33
M6: 7:34
M7: 7:39
M8: 7:33
M9: 7:14
M10: 7:45
M11: 7:31
M12: 7:32
M13: 7:33
M14: 8:16 (wasted)

The part of the NVM course I ran was approximately mile 7 to mile 18 which would seem to be the hardest part of the NVM route. I can say the first half of this course will be tougher than the last half of the course (which is good). For my Interlooper friends (dudes from Tucson who are coming out to run), the hills will be irrelevant to you guys (though they *are* noticeable...as are the downhills). The banking and crowned roads are prevalent though if Silverado Trail is closed, then this isn't that much of an issue. Pray that the wind isn't blowing to the NE ... the route is exposed from the west so this could be an issue...but WHATEVER! It's a race. Today I would have loved a NE wind. I had wind to my back the whole way (for nonrunners....a tailwind is not always a blessing...if it's cold or moderate weather, then a tailwind is usually a favorable thing. But in moderately warm to hot weather, a tailwind is a disaster; it's like running in a heated vacuum (if you don't believe me, ask the participants in the womens' marathon in the 2004 Athens Olympics). But it's running. It's something I choose to do so one must put up with reality in all the way it manifests itself.

Still...I would've liked some freaking water.

It's a good day though. I learned something about the course. About my fitness. I saw the beauty of Napa Valley. Mustard greens in bloom. Hawks in flight. The unreal reality of the otherworld of Yountville. Hearing about a Thomas Keller restaurant and its food and service. Driving home. Recovering from exhaustion...heat induced I guess...but relaxed now. We just watched a great movie: Himalaya. We're all here. It's all good. Happy. Tired. Blessed. Not worrying about the worries that will come tomorrow.

Out.
Brad