"When the Rain Comes...", Self Experiment, and San Diego

 As John Lennon/Paul McCartney once said, "When the rains come; they run and hide their heads. They might as well be dead." Well, I would not say dead. As it doesn't apply to me though. I am going to try for 4-5 miles tonight. Wow though! Am I in Seattle? Las Vegas gets 4 inches of rain yearly. I think we have gotten nearly 3.99 of these inches in the last two days. More today and tomorrow. It has been nice to see and feel. Yet, this is a city built in the Mohave Desert. Even a 1/4 inch of rain can leave streets flooded here.

Ground is hard, rock solid. The water hits the ground and immediately gravity takes over without much of any soaking. Plus, Vegas is in a bowl. Desert Mt. ranges surround us. So, obviously, gravity again has its effect with water tumbling down from the there. It does get me excited to check out the washes in some of the trails in the area, especially out at the Red Rocks Preserve. Plus, if we get enough, the desert will become instantly colorful overnight.

There are flowering plants whose seeds will lay dormant in the ground waiting up to 8-10 years for all this moisture. Then boom, everything comes into bloom with vibrant yellows, oranges, magenta's and blues. Death Valley comes to full life during these downpours as well. Will see if we get enough rain to make it happen.

Okay, onto the rest of my title subjects. As I mentioned in my post Phoenix posting - hydration is an issue for me right now. Not sure why as well. Those who have been following since this past Summer know how furnace like it was running back then. I picked up a Camelbak and that seemed to take care of things for me over the summer. I like the backpack of Camelbak Bladders approach over the fuel belts. Having something dangling around my waste while running not for me. Backpack/Bladder seems more natural to wear. Too many overnight 50 mile hikes in the Cascade Mts. of Washington growing up I guess. I am backpacker/trail nerd at heart.

Gatorade is what I have been filling the bladder with. Over the last month, I have noticed plain Gatorade has been failing me. I also had my post Disneyland Half Med Tent drama of being dehydrated. Anyway, I am getting lots of very salty sweat discharge on runs over 7 miles these days. Plus, the occasional ammonia, pee pee smelling sweat (just ask my family about that smell - not pretty). The latter being a Carb issue. The former seems to be metabolic changes in how my body is regulating potassium and sodium.

So, what to do? I have sought the advice of a few folks with a medical backgrounds who run. Plus, those with similar body types or builds as my own and run about the same paces and distances. Plus, a few of my blogger friends/followers like Happy Trails, Jill, Glenn and I think even Meg had some advice on this one. Also, some web research. Turns out, like most things in life, finding out what is best will have to be an experiment of my own.

A few postings ago, I got up onto my soap box on the many running plans and the so-called gurus who push them. To be honest most of the folks putting out these plans I respect a lot. They have run further and longer than I. So, yes, I need to take heed any advice they have. Yet, I just strongly feel after my successes and failures in following some these plans years ago - I really am my own experiment. Some things worked greatly, other things not so much. I gotta find and do what is best for this little leg kicker.

Anyway, hydration. NO one seems to have THE trick down on this one. At least the medical community. There seems to be some serious issues with too much hydration (water), too little hydration and the right balance of potassium and salt needed. So, again I will be left up to my own experiment and advice of others. 

Water and using S (Succeed) Caps supplements have been highly recommend by family members. Also, Kelly of Running Free Blog uses this product along with Happy Trail, and I believe Jill recommended them. I have tried the Endurolyte pill put out by Hammer products (whose Gel by the way is the best, especially Banana flavor). The results - it makes me need to pee really bad after 15 minutes of using them. Not fun on the run. My wife and a close friend who runs suggest just upping the Gatorade to Gatorade Endurance. Some have suggested Cytomax. Sorry, it is the reason why I wear the Camelback during my Rock and Roll events. Cytomax is the sports fluid for them and I can't drink it. It is just awful to me. I have also researched Vitalyte and Gooknaid (REI sold drink I used to carry while backpacking).

So what will I do? I will order the S Caps and try them with plain old H2O. However, before they arrive I will give the Gatorade Endurance a shot. Will see how the experiment works? I am also changing up my daily diet a bit. Trying to work at least one more serving of complex Carbs. No more big/huge Carbo loads the night before a race. I will have a Carb meal at lunch the day before and then a light meal the night before. Morning of the race, half a whole wheat bagel with peanut butter/honey and a Banana a few hours before the race. Also, Kelly from Running Free mentioned using Ensure during races or long runs as well. As I step up my training for a Full Marathon, I will keep that in mind.

Marathon? I said - you said, Marathon? :) Yep. It is on the Calendar for the year. Possibly two and maybe three. I have at least three more Half Marathons to deposit into The Bank of Slomohusky, than the big one. I will at least get one in this year. If it goes well enough and I actually get past the St. George Marathon this year - maybe two. First Full Marathon in nearly 14 years!

San Diego Rock and Roll made some changes to help clear up the schedule. If any have noticed to the left - I am now registered for the new San Diego Rock and Roll Half Marathon. Yep, it was rumored by someone at the Vegas Expo to me. Elite has added a Half course and a Full Marathon Relay. I was pretty excited about this personally. One it keeps the Rock and Roll Heavy Medal series rolling for me for all these multiple R&R events I have been doing. 

However, even bigger, the addition of the Half at San Diego decided for me when my first Full Marathon attempt in 14 years will be. I will do the San Diego Half June 6th, and will put all my 26.2 attention on the Seattle Rock and Roll, June 26th (nice ring to that - 26.2 on 6.26). I am pretty excited by this. I wanted to really do both events, but sentimental reasons were saying Seattle was the place to do the Full again. So, it had me choosing Seattle over San Diego. No more - now I can be at both events. Excited. Thanks Elite racing. You guys really like my money spent on all your events don't ya? So, Seattle Full it is. Just hope it doesn't rain! Plus, it is not the flattest course either. I will have some hills to run. It will be a challenge for my first in many, many years.

Thanks for all your comments of late. Been fun reading them and reading your Blogs as well. Runners are the best! Julie, thanks for your concern and shout outs of late. I get lots of love from my wonderful wife and four smart and charming kids. It does make me happy that people read this blog and actually want to comment though. Tara, hope accounting h-e-double hockey sticks is over soon. Sorry about the Tornado fearing Nanny Meg. Glad the shoes fit Tricia. Likewise with Mr. Nimbus Jerbear. Enjoy the rain in SoCal Glenn, Meg and everyone else there.

Cheers!