Running Journal, Saturday, 2011-03-19: Saturnine Skies, Swollen Waters, Near Gale-Force Winds

Running Journal, Saturday, 2011-03-19

Resting heart rate: ? bpm (forgot)
Body Mass Index (BMI): 22.381 (kilograms/(meters^2))
Resting Metabolic Rate (RMR): 1.821 calories
Weather: overcast with rain showers; winds out of the SSE at 42.65 km/h (26.5 mi/h) with gusts up to 53.75 km/h (33.4 mi/h); 93-76% humidity; 101.38-100.80kPa (29.94-29.77 inches pressure)

Temp: 8-9 C (46.4-48.2 F)
Time: 11:31-5:21 p.m. (14:15 min/mi, average)

Terrain: flat; +/- 221.9 m (728 ft)

Comments: Well, in all my years of running in Sacramento, today is about as bad it gets, at least in terms of wind--the rains were light and intermittent. Today's long run coincided with a winter storm. I am still recovering from illness. The walk from Fair Oaks village to Bridge Street and across the American River was cold; the winds cut right through the long-sleeved technical shirt, technical jacket, racing shorts, and leggings I wore. Thankfully, I found my old pair of RaceReady gloves, which did not absorb any water from the rain. Once I started running, I warmed up considerably and felt mostly comfortable. I took six Hammer Nutrition gels, one more than the run three weeks ago. The American River today had swelled to heights I have not seen since the winter of 2006. All 18 spillways of the Nimbus Dam and five eight spillways of the Folsom Dam were open, today. The bike path was flooded, as it was in 2006, near mile marker 20.5, so I took the parallel horse trail as a detour for the first time in many months. The skies overhead were overcast and off-white and the light rains persisted throughout the run. The biggest challenge today was the wind. On the way out, the south-east winds blew into me. On the way back, somehow they blew into me again as I passed by the tall bluffs near Negro Bar State Park. According to the Beaufort Scale, the winds reached near gale-force bursts. The Parkway was mostly empty, though an occasional cyclist passed by with a wet streak up their back. A few runners passed by--one man without leggings or gloves! Most runners were female and better prepared. What a difference the overcast sky makes! Three weeks ago, the sunny day opened up the sky. I noticed further construction at the north end of the Hazel Avenue Bridge--a pedestrian bridge which will allow for an extended path and a reduced grade up to the deck of the roadway. I noticed many birds enjoying the winds. Small birds flew circles around me on the bike path and on Lake Natoma, catching breezes and flitting quickly to and fro. Larger birds--hawks, geese, ducks--also rode the shifting winds. Noticing a pair of geese struggling to control their flight as they approached a perch helped reassure me others also shared my battles. I also saw a female wild turkey, a number of jackrabbits, and a few squirrels feasting on pine nuts, discarding the sharp and pointed pine cone bits loudly onto the bike path as I passed. Most of the run, today, however, was a solitary journey in rain and wind. I confirmed the Willow Creek Launching Facility lacked a water fountain. One man in a truck with the word "Curtis" (Plumbing?) on a magnetic sign on his door pulled in as I was running around; he parked and watched the waters. Some flowers and bushes are flowering--purple and orange and red and white ones--I wish I knew their names.  Miles 26-south and 27-south represent my least favorite miles of the journey: they follow the telephone lines, with placer-mining rock deposits framing both sides, cutting off views. Or worse, three-story office buildings. Speaking of telephone lines--I solved a mystery, today. I have seen numbers spray-painted on the ground while on previous runs, in the format "4/2" or "2/3". It turns out these represent pole numbers, presumably with the first number the mile from the generation station, and the second number the pole in that mile. And they are zero-indexed--the first pole next to the Nimbus Dam is "0/1".  On two of these poles, I saw a sticker reading, "SIG SAUER / To-Hell-and-Back Reliability"--apparently a small arms manufacturer based out of New Hampshire. Comforting? Reached Beal's Point and mile 32--the end of the American River Bike Trail--for the first time! The campground seemed moderately full, surprisingly, despite the weather. As I passed one site, a group of 20-30 adults in rain gear were listening to someone talk, though I could not clearly tell what was being said. Many years ago, I attended a workplace celebration at Beal's Point, in weather a bit milder than today, but not by much. So today marked only the second time I have made it; finding the empty park and picnic tables where we had celebrated so many years ago, I felt a bit melancholy remembering all the people who have gone their separate ways. I did not stay long--the winds coming in off Folsom Lake were fierce and cold. The sign at Beal's Point claims 11.2 miles to Sunrise Bridge. The first few miles went great--they were all downhill! On the way back to Negro Bar, I caught a glimpse of Folsom State Prison. The fences along the bike path near Folsom Dam have razor wire; I noticed a number of holes under the fences have also been reinforced with moderately-sized boulders. However, there is one part of the fence just past the new Folsom Lake Crossing bridge with a raised grate, presumably to allow small animals passage. It is obviously large enough to allow a person to squeeze through, though! Not to mention, the razor fencing ends farther down the line, allowing anyone who dared to simply walk around the end of the fence! Running past Folsom Dam gorge is a sight to behold, though. Today, five of eight spillways were open, releasing waters which crashed and frothed with thunderous might, below. The remaining miles went less than optimal. I wish I had taken one more gel pack--my legs were struggling. I challenged myself, climbing up the sharp grade to the roadway of Hazel Avenue Bridge. I found my large upper leg muscle groups still responded, even after all those miles. This allowed me to finish the last few miles, but tired me considerably. The walk up Bridge Street to Fair Oaks village did not help. Overall, a very challenging run, compounded by mediocre health and crazy winds. Twice, the top of my left foot began hurting, so I stopped and loosened my shoelaces. I love the electricity of the weather. Soon, summer, constant sunshine, and higher temperatueres will return, so I want to experience it while it lasts.

Goal Time: n/a

Distance (running): ~39.0 km (~24.2 miles); http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=4361691 ;

Weight (after run): 76.6 kg (169 lb)

Any irregular feelings, aches, pains, heart rate, and so forth?: top of left foot is sore (loosened shoelaces, twice), moderate muscle aches
Foods eaten today: oatmeal + raisins + banana, banana x 2, Hammer Nutrition gels x 6, nuun U Natural Hydration Lemon Chai tablets x 4, hard-boiled egg x 2, protein powder drink