diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index e79087e0..d33369ce 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -8,11 +8,15 @@ external/FARGPARSE-*/
 external/GFTL-*/
 external/GFTL_SHARED-*/
 external/PFUNIT-*/
+
 # skip F90 files in the tests folder, except in specific subfolders
 tests/*/*.F90
 !tests/helperCode/*.F90
 !tests/helperCode_mpi/*.F90
 
+# any local automated tests that users have run
+test_runs/
+
 # Pre-compile generated files
 src/base/git_info.F90
 
diff --git a/testingScripts/weeklyDashGo.xml b/testingScripts/weeklyDashGo.xml
index 87b18f9d..78b43d8e 100644
--- a/testingScripts/weeklyDashGo.xml
+++ b/testingScripts/weeklyDashGo.xml
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@
     <coupling dtCouple="5.0" imType="RAIJU" doQkSquish="T" qkSquishStride="2" doAsyncCoupling="F"/>
     <restart dtRes="10800.0"/>
     <imag doInit="T"/>
-    <threading NumTh="64"/>
+    <threading NumTh="128"/>
     <!-- without quick squish, estimated 13 helpers required -->
     <helpers numHelpers="2" useHelpers="T" doSquishHelp="T"/>
   </VOLTRON>