Viva las Baltimore

Time for my annual trip to the States, and a nice block of run training in warmer climates. The annual trip normally coincides with the ACSM (American College of Sports Medicine) conference, which this year was being held in Baltimore Maryland.

Took a few days before the event and saw the sights, took the Amtrak up to DC the day before memorial day, long runs to see the sights of Baltimore, and wandering about lots looking for places to entertain myself. Nice to have two days before ACSM to see everything that i wanted to see, no point flying across the world then seeing the inside of a hotel room.

Conference was good, went to some interesting lectures on carbohydrate utilisation and fat usage during longer distance events, and for fuelling considerations for IM racing and the like. Some of the usual talkers spouting the same old drivel, and some of the big hitters throwing some major curve balls into the mix. Galactose for fuel anyone? Lets just say the old 0.8g/min absorption rate of carbohydrates has pretty much been thrown out of the window with guys showing uptakes of 1.79g/min ( 107g/hour vs 48g/hour). This has a profound impact on fuelling for IM distance racing, and something i am going to start keeping an eye out for when data gets published.

Couple of other talks sparked ideas in my heads, which is always the point of these meetings i suppose. there was also a lot of useless crap, some stuff that i went to that boded well but was let down by poor presenters, and useless research projects. But thats always the way i suppose.

Running was good while i was over there, did my normal 7am of the day after i fly in run to loosen the legs out, sure its slow, and sure i feel like crap doing it, but it works. Pretty much allows me to slot onto US time straight away. Few other long ish runs in the heat and humidity of MD let me assess how i am in the heat at the moment. Simply put, when it goes over 34' C i suffer big time. Over 90% humidity and i cease to function running wise. Blew up on two runs and it was not pleasant. Saying that i was running well, consistently 4:30/km even though it felt like 4mins. Sadly picked up a chest infection due to the aircon in the room drying my lungs out every night, cant stand the stuff.

Missed my bike so much while i was over there, all i wanted to do was a few days even hours on the bike. But alas it was not to be.

Oh and Delta screwed me over and left me in Atlanta to rot for a day. Don't go to Atlanta ever. Its a horrible place.