Why Is It So Hot In December?

Texas Heat.

Ultramarathon #084 | Running with Gators | BB100

Coming on my recent 13 day recovery-downtime-taper period I was now ready to run another 100 Miler, because well this is only 30 minute from my doorstep and how could I resist the biggest trail party in Texas? The simple answer is I can’t. I’ve run this event every year since we have moved to Texas:

• 2017 - 20:07 (16th place, race report, my 15th ultramarathon)
• 2018 - 20:19 (9th place, race report, my 33rd ultramarathon)
• 2019 - 19:23 (18th place, race report, my 49th ultramarathon)
• 2020 *was cancelled due to covid restrictions

Trail Racing Over Texas puts on a stellar event and welcomes everyone to the south in December to this great park to enjoy some flat faster miles. It is a great race whether you are here to go for your 100 Mile PR, just aiming to spot to see large alligators up close, or just having a great time with like minded trail friends out there circling Brazos Bend State Park.

The local Brazos Bend wildlife.

Getting ready in the morning it was super dense fog and quite humid sitting in the mid 60s – it was like we were inside a cloud on the ground in the State Park. I met up with my buddy Chad Laester that morning at my tent where I was setting up my base for the race and he was settled in beside with his chair set up as well. Chad was running as well aiming for a much faster time than I was, but it was great to see friends. I also met up met up with my Team TROT teammates Matt Zmolek, Shandra Moore, Robin Phelps, Vic Valenzuela and former teammate Meg Eckert. It was great seeing so many friends prior to even starting to run. Lining up just prior to the 06:00 start the fog still was creating the eerie atmosphere. Standing there looking out over the moss draped trees on the waters edge was like looking at a painting, but it was now go time. We headed off for the 6 loops around the gator country within Brazos Bend State Park as the couple hundred runners took off from under the Trail Racing Over Texas start/finish arch with the bobbing of headtorches lighting the way. I let myself fall back immediately into the middle of the pack before I settled into my pace, this was by design to help myself start out slower and delay the inedible pain and feeling of dead legs that would be coming later in the day. This is always a hard decision because it is nice to bank time early and run faster when you feel fresh and faster but starting slow means that in theory you should feel batter later on when the hours start to add up. I almost always do the first option due to running by feel on perceived effort. Maybe this time it would be different?

BB100 Loop 1 start. Photo: JJustis Photography | Trail Racing Over Texas.

Looping around the first time on the 16.6 Mi course as the sun was slowly peeking up. I maintained my mid pack position and held back from what felt like an easy effort considering the mileage I had built up on my legs in the past 25 days or so. The weather maintained stupid humid levels with near 100% humidity right from the early hours. It felt very hot for a Texas fall December even the locals. Today was going to be a battle for everyone. I did change my singlet to my lightest one I had after the first loop just to try and help with air flow and any evaporation that might occur (if at all in this humidity). 

Daughters greeting me after loop 2 completion.

On the second loop I tried to hold back my pace as the sun started to come out, along with the local wildlife as well. The full force of runners were now out on the trails as the shorter distances of 50k, 25k, and half marathon had all started up as well. This was the busiest period in terms of runners. After the long out and back on the Riverview trail I was heading back to the start/finish and the completion of my 2nd full loop. One third done now and my legs felt like they already had 75 miles worth of running on them…sigh! It was going to be a long day ahead of me to grind through with this thought circulating in my head. A super bonus was my family was there to greet me at the end of my 2nd loop. I stopped at the aid briefly filled my bottles and grabbed some food and headed over to hug all my daughters and kiss my wife. What a nice boost.

After just over 6 minutes break visiting with my little supporters and taking a quick break off my feet I headed back out on the trail knowing the heat of the day was now nearing closer. It was already in the mid 70s already and still combined with the high humidity making the feel-like temperatures even higher. Round I went again on the 16.6 Mi loop but his time more and more walk breaks crept in and I could feel my overall pace slowing. The heat was getting to me, just like everyone else. Running all summer in Texas I know how to deal with the heat, but usually after mid-October this is the cool weather running season so to me being this hot and humid so late in the season was unusual. Basically there is not a lot you can do to cope except keep hydrated and slow your pace down to control your overall effort and not get the heart rate up too much. I felt bad for a lot of the people who had come to run Brazos from the upper states where the temperatures were already quite low. I am sure they had an even harder time coping with this weekend high temperatures.

Slogging around the course having all the awesome volunteers helping keep my bottles full and ensuring I got what I needed I felt in control just very slow out there. Coming back around finishing off my third loop in the mid-afternoon heat I got to see my young daughters run to meet me as I crossed the timing mat. They briefly helped me forgot how heavy my legs felt at the moment since I was only half way there at this point – 50 done, 50 to go. After this loop I sat down for a good while – nearly 17 minutes! I got in a bunch of calories: potatoes, chips, oranges, some coca-cola, an Athletic Brewing Co. beer (Golden Dawn), and some pretzels. I also took this opportunity to change out my Drymax footwear just to get that fresh sock feeling. My kids were just hanging around basically asking me if they could eat my food. Before taking off we did have a group pretzel cheers to get that upbeat feeling going again as I got back on my feet. Kissed all my girls again and headed out for the remaining half of the race.

Doing a a group pretzel cheers with my 4 daughters. Photo: Katie Meding

I felt a little stiff after my longer break, but as I eased back into my pace it felt a little better as continued down the trail towards the first mini loop around Old Horseshoe Lake. The sun was still peaking out behind the clouds and making the 80s temperature feel even warmer. I passed a few different people cramping up during the late afternoon miles, again just to reiterate at how the weather was slowing everyone down this day. I just reminded myself to keep moving forward and I would get through the miles eventually. Loop 4 felt dreadfully slow, as my overall pace continued to deteriorate. More walks breaks kept creeping into my routine. Loop 4 came to a finish just as the sun was fully and the very last of the remaining day light no longer poked through the trees from the western direction. The last 2 loops would be full on night running.

To keep my motivation high, I grabbed my headphones and plugged in some podcasts to keep my mind occupied for the 5th loop. I was hoping that would be the trick to distract me as I pushed myself forward. I think it did help, but it did not help my pace as I moved at the same slow rate I had been trudging at. I began to play games with myself to pass the mileage. I would run once my heart rate dropped down to 125 or so and slow run at nice constant pace until my HR creeped back up and got to about 153, and then I would take a recovery walk break as my HR came back down. I repeated this pacing game with myself for a long time well into loop 6 as it kept my mind occupied and gave me something else to focus on. Eventually I started doing the math and realized I had to keep going consistency in order to finish under 22 hours and get that sub-22 buckle (to match my other 3 from the prior years).

The final stretch of the Riverview trail took forever as it always seems to be a little longer on that out and back every time we went down that trail (of course it was not). Running the same trail multiple times in a race you definitely get some weird thoughts about the loop as you progress on. On my 5th loop I recall telling myself “I only have to see this section once more” and then on the final loop I would comment that “I never have to run past here again today, that section is over now”. These little mind games just come up when I run it is not something I plan on, but I just go with it as it does distract me and keeps my mind engaged.

Looking down at my watch on the Riverview trail I knew I had a ton of time to make the sub-22 cutoff. It was a real nice feeling to know I was going to complete my goal even with the heat, insane humidity, and with my fatigued legs from the prior weeks. This was not my best time, but this was a great effort and just proved to myself again that I was able to grind it out. I was happy and remember thinking all of this as I pushed on towards the finish. It was just after 03:30 in the morning and so very few people were there at the finish as I crossed the timing mat and stopped my Garmin. In true ultrarunning fashion I received my buckle from the volunteer and then headed over to my chair to admire my accomplishment in my own terms.  I was proud to finish 100 miles. The only thought I had lingering in my mind was why was it so hot in December? Isn't it supposed to be nice cool fall weather?

A 4th sub-22 buckle earned at BB100. This one was a grind.

RESULTS

UltraSignup: 2021 Brazos Bend 100 100 Miler - Results (ultrasignup.com)

My 84th ultramarathon run -- completed 82/84 (97.62%)

My 28th 100 Mi(+) ultra -- completed 26/28 (92.86%)

My 14th ultra for the 2021 calendar year.

STRAVA Activity: Brazos Bend 100 (25th overall), Needville, TX | Run | Strava

my own data analysis.

GEAR USED

• kit (top): rabbit  (rabbitELITEtrail '21 team singlet), Trail Racing Over Texas (Team TROT singlet)
• kit (bottom): rabbit 3" FKT shorts
• hats: rabbit (BOCO gear)
• Gear bags: Victory Sportdesign (Kodiak)
• Lights: a NATHAN Halo Fire headlamp
• Flasks: NATHAN 20oz handheld (x2)
• Socks: Drymax (x2 pairs)
• Shoes: HOKA ONE ONE Challenger ATR 7 (test pair)
• Anti-Friction Body Lube: Trail Toes
• Watch: Garmin fēnix 6X Pro Solar
• Eyewear: goodr
• Coolers: x1 Coleman (with a bunch of goodies, snacks, and a couple refreshing Athletic Brewing Co. beers)

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Thank you for following along. 

Next Up:  Running The Rose 108km (Jan-22)