If you train for a spring marathon this means that a good portion of your training will take place during winter, if you train for a fall marathon you’ll be training during the hottest months of the summer. Either way it stinks.
Two years ago when I was training for my first marathon I was so dejected with my training. It seemed that I did not have a single good run during the month of August. It seemed like it was one of the hottest summers that we ever had. That time did not instill any confidence in me whatsoever.
This year, I am convinced that Mother Nature is out to get me with hot and humid days whenever I have a long run. Last week I didn’t hydrate as well as I should have for my long run and this week it was just hot and miserable. I struggled to get through my 10 miles and for a while felt a lot like I did while training for that first marathon.
I think my mistake was running the 10 miles in Central Park. I really don’t like doing long runs in the park as it can get monotonous having to do multiple loops of the park. I know it’s a mental thing because I can say the exact same thing about doing an out and back along the Hudson River. But for some reason that works for me. I know someone else who trained for her marathon by doing several loops of the reservoir and bridle path. You really need to have a comfort zone for your long runs. Yes, you can give me a lecture about the Hudson Greenway not having any hills but that is what hill repeats are for during the week.
When I got home I noticed that next week is a 15 mile long run. With the 10 mile struggle still fresh in my mind panic started to set in. The usual thoughts of “I had a really hard time today running 10 miles how am I going to 15 next week” were very loud. But reason settled in. I’ve run 15 miles plenty of times before, i know I can do the distance and the weather will get better.
So no, I’m not going to panic, I’m pushing those evil thoughts out of my head. Next week is the Bronx 10 mile race as part of the NYRR Fiver Borough Series. It’s good to know that I will have on course race support for the 10 miles but I have to figure out where I can get those extra five miles in since I am not familiar with the area.
Last year this was a half marathon that got canceled due to Hurricane Irene. So far the weather is looking fine, although on the hot side because it is a long run for me. Mother Nature wants me to sweat. But there’s no need to panic. The weather will cool down and I will get back to my long run comfort zone. I’ll save the panicking for the American League East play-off race.
scoopsontherun 
In England the summer has been rubbish, apart from two days. On both, I was entered into 10k runs. We call it ‘sods law’
These hot runs are killing me too! Thank goodness for fall.
I am going to have to add miles to th round 10 miler as well, just planning on running th course 3.5 miles out and then back to the finish. Not planning on checking a bag so time won’t be a problem, I am slow…someone also suggested running down to the reservoir ( u can see it on the course map) and doing laps around it and then taking the train, apparently there is a stop near the resevoir. Hope this helps. Good luck with your run!