Running the water canal

Today's schedule called for 2 hours running without any definition to pace, place or objective of the run. It's only three weeks after all my trouble with ITBS during UMA and a lot of my training is still done on feel and testing if there is any pain in my knee. 

I wanted to go and do a run off the roads and headed towards my reliable route along Cerro Carbon and Manquehue. I didn't want to push too hard in the climbs or come bombing down any descents so I ran along the contour trail that formed part of the UMA route. 

Left along the contour path, right across the bridge to start climbing.

To make it a little more specific I went out at 1pm in the heat of the day to test how I would handle the heat and to start acclimatising for the desert. It felt brutally hot and I now know that I've got a lot of work to do to prepare for up to 50C in March.

Dry, dusty trail next to irrigation water.

I don't think that I drank enough water in the first hour and a half and could feel the effects slowing me down. I know how much water I will receive during the race, so now I need to get used to rationing it and drinking at a race pace.

Feeling dry-mouthed and hot!

Bridge to no-where.

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