Today was a big day for me. 20 Miles in 100 degree heat index. This doesn’t sound very far when I think about my amazing Ultra Running friends but this was a big confidence boost for me. 

My friend Brittani is training for a 60k and agreed to drive with me an hour and a half to the Sewanee Perimeter Trail. We filled our packs with water and nutrition and started on our self supported run. It was a hot, humid day and although the temperature only reached the low 90s, the heat index creeped up to 100 degrees. We ran at a conservative pace due to the heat and only saw a few people the entire trip. Below are some pictures from our run and few of the lessons I learned for next time. 

Brittani and I both like to experiment with nutrition during our training runs. Today I tested out home made sweet potato chips, jicama with salt and lime, orange/cherries with salt and frozen grapes. Of these, I will definitely repeat with the frozen grapes and salted oranges; however, I think I’ll try a baked sweet potato next time. I like the sweet potato chips but I think a baked sweet potato will be easier to digest. Also planning to buy more Tailwind for long runs. 

Hands down the worst part of the run was all the chaffing. I have never had so much chaffing before and it started before we reached the half way mark. The combination of all the sweat plus the heavy clothes was a recipe for disaster. Next time I am definitely buying and using Squirrel Nut Butter and wearing lighter shorts and a different sports bra to see if this helps. I currently have my Beautycounter Baby Balm on and know I’ll heal up quickly. 

Another opportunity for improvement was with hydration. I brought a LOT of water BUT because of the heat and distance I ran out at the end. Next time I will not leave my water filter in the car and I am going to try freezing my bladder half full to see if that helps.

It was a great run! Overall my legs felt fine. The biggest struggle was the heat and my heart rate. Planning to do more hills and just keep up with the training. 

We only got lost a handful of times. The scenery was beautiful, I enjoyed the company of my friend and I gained significant confidence from the distance. Can’t wait to work up to longer distances so I can spend more time exploring the trails and having adventures.