What I Love/Hate About Summer Running

Summer running - it sounds dreadful but oddly refreshing at the same time. I have a love/hate relationship with running during the summer months as I refuse to use a treadmill unless absolutely necessary. As I began to make a list of my loves/hates with summer running, I honestly thought my list of dislikes would be longer than my list of likes, but it appears that isn't so!

LOVE

-Endurance built up from running when it's difficult to breathe - I mean really...when cool fall weather hits, I feel like I can run super fast! Ok, maybe not but you know what I mean.

-Sweating - You know sometimes you just need to run and work up a good sweat? It feels oddly cleansing!

-Summer storm showers that make afternoon runs a little cooler - Ah yes, so refreshing. Getting caught in a shower during a hot run is fun, too (unless you have a baby with you...whoops).

-Running through sprinklers or jumping in a swimming pool after a nice, hot run - It's so very refreshing!

-That feeling of accomplishment....like you just did something really hard core by going for a run in "feels like" temperatures of 100+ degrees. No, I don't recommend this.

-Longer daylight hours for late evening running.

HATE

-Heat. Yuck.

-Humidity. Double Yuck. Welcome to the south!

-Mosquitos - the official state bird of Louisiana (no, not really...it just seems like it around here)

-That feeling after a hard run that you might unload all of your stomach contents on the side of the road - Yeah, gross.

As I mentioned before, I'm surprised that my dislike list isn't longer than it is! Maybe I really DO enjoy running in the summer? Maybe.

Today's Tuesdays on the Run topic was hosted by Patty, Erika, & Marcia!

Long Run Sunday

Yesterday, I did something I NEVER do - I went for my long run on a Sunday morning!

That wasn't in the original plans, however.

On Saturday morning, both Brayden and I were startled awake by crazy thunder and lightning. He woke up at 5:30 a.m., just a few minutes before my alarm was set to go off. I went into his room to soothe him and although my tactics worked, he couldn't fall back asleep because the thunder and lightning was literally rolling through every 30 seconds or so.

After listening for a few minutes, I knew our group run would be called off due to safety. I'm all about running in the rain but lightning...no way.

My running buddy and I texted back and forth several times and after seeing a facebook post from our little running circle, we decided to call it off until Sunday morning.

It rained off and on for a good bit of the morning. Luckily, Brayden fell back asleep which meant I could return to my bed as well! We both slept until 9 a.m.! (I think that's only happened like once since he's been born!)

Sunday morning arrived bright and early...and so did the humidity! I have one main reason I never run on Sunday mornings - church. Follow a long run up with getting ready for church and getting Brayden ready all in the span of a few hours...and looking halfway decent on my part? Negative.

Well, I decided to go for it anyway. It was the end of my first week of Dopey Training and I didn't want to set a bad precedent for the remainder of my training. Although Jason worked the night before (and had to work again that night), he so graciously agreed to watch Brayden for a couple of hours so I could enjoy my run. (He's truly a saint!)

My running buddy and I enjoyed our 5 mile run along the lake. It was fun seeing fellow running groupies out there, too!

Once I arrived home, Jason had Brayden fed, dressed, and ready for church (even though Jason himself wasn't going to church because he had to work again that night)! I sent Jason to bed, then somehow had time to shower, wash my hair, blow dry and flat iron my hair, put makeup on, cook breakfast, and watch Brayden while doing all of the above. Bonus: Brayden and I were on time for church! How, I have no idea!

Although I couldn't do it every single Sunday, I did enjoy my Sunday morning long run with my running buddy and I REALLY enjoyed my chance to sleep in on Saturday morning!

Oh yes, and I might have enjoyed one of these mickey rice cripsy treats on Sunday afternoon! I have a small stash and this one was close to expiring. I either needed to toss it or eat it and well, I chose eat it! :)

Do you prefer long runs on Saturday or Sunday mornings?

Thursday Training Thoughts

This past week was quite an interesting week.
 
It's been raining practically non-stop (until yesterday) which left the temps warm and incredibly humid. 

• Despite the crazy weather, running has been going great! My knee has cooperated and I haven't had any issues (thankfully)! Although marathon training season hasn't yet begun (soon, though) my current plan is to keep up with our base mileage for now.

• Speaking of training plans, Jeff Galloway's training plans for Marathon Weekend are available now on the runDisney website! I'm going do a modified version of his Dopey schedule and I'm so excited to begin! Dopey training starts on June 27th so if you're thinking about using Jeff's plans, get them downloaded now! Also, Jeff has been so gracious to share his training tips with all of us - if you'd like to check them out, click here!

• Back to my week - I'd planned to go for a run on Monday but when I stepped outside, I felt as if I was in a sauna. I was literally short of breath just walking from my work building to my car which is maybe the length of two football fields. I felt as if a wet, warm washcloth had been placed over my face and I was trying to breathe through it. CRAZY. I knew a run was going to be impossible that day so instead, I did a little cross training at my house (in the AC) and even involved Brayden in some of my routine. I figured a 25+ pound kid made for adequate weights for squats and lunges....and he loved it! Bonus! 

• On Tuesday, I attempted to outsmart the weather and went for a nice little lunch time run. I was in a hurry so I pushed myself and when I saw the time for my first mile, I knew I had to keep going. Sadly, I didn't take my own advice and had ZERO hydration along the way. Thankfully the rain had not yet passed through and the humidity was down so it wasn't horribly warm out at that point (like Monday)! 

• Lately, thanks to an idea from Meranda, I've been setting aside a little time to work on my race scrapbook. I was terribly behind (as in...2013 behind) but am now caught up to 2014! Each page in my scrapbook is themed around a different race and is filled with pictures and the bib from that race (sometimes a race takes up 2 or 3 pages if there's a lot to share). It's so much fun re-living these memories from years ago and I'm excited I have the opportunity to work on this project once again!

Did you know that yesterday was Flag Day? I had to read up a bit on the holiday itself because I didn't realize all the day entailed! Not only is it a holiday to celebrate the adoption of the flag of the United States, but it's also the birthday of the US Army! Pretty neat!

That's all for now! How are you surviving summer time running? How do you preserve your race memories?

Fitness Friday - Dealing With the Heat

This heat...ugh. I've about had enough! Here in the south, we've been experiencing ridiculous heat indexes and crazy humidity over the past few weeks. Fall can't come soon enough!  Although I do own a treadmill, I much rather run outside...so I've had to do a little improvisation here over the past few weeks in order to keep up my regular training schedule. Thankfully, Jeff Galloway has a few tips to share for dealing with the heat! Enjoy!

Training through the summer can not only be grueling, but down right dangerous. 

Here are some tips to train safely and as comfortable as possible in the hot summer months:

• Slow down by 30 sec/mile (20 sec/km) for every 5F temperature increase above 55-60F ( every 2.5C above 14C)

•  When the temperature is over 70F (21C) you may take a 5 minute “cold shower break” every 25-30 minutes to keep cool.
  
  
• Try to complete your run before the sun rises above the horizon.

•  More frequent walk breaks during hot weather can lower body temperature increase.  If you used to run 3 minutes between walk breaks, run only 90 seconds (walk 30 seconds) at 70F (21C) and at 80F (26C) drop to 60 sec run/30 sec walk or 30/30

•  When you start to heat up more than normal, take a longer walk in a mall or indoor AC building

•  Pick shady courses on hot days

•  Don’t wear a hat!  Pour water over your head

•  Have an indoor alternative—treadmill, etc
  
  
• Run in the deep end of the pool, using a flotation belt

Of course, hydration is ALWAYS key!  I've really upped my fluid intake over the past week and I've noticed a difference! 

Thanks for the tips, Jeff! 

What's your favorite way to beat the heat with running during the summer months?


Disclaimer: As a Jeff Galloway blogger, I received these tips to share with you - no compensation was exchanged.

Summer Running

Happy Monday! Today, I'm blogging from my parents house because the AC in our home decided to pick the hottest day of the summer to stop working. The temperature in my house went from 72 to 82 in no time flat (and at night at that)! Insane. Before we could experience oven like temperatures, we packed up all our stuff and stayed at my parents house instead! I'm crossing my fingers and praying really hard that they can fix our AC today and that it's nothing major. Ah well...I'll know more later today!

Onto my long run this weekend...it was HUMID, y'all. Ugh.

My weekend began with a short run on Friday after work. We had a half day and I had a ton going on for the weekend so I really just needed to clear my mind.

I ran around the lake and enjoyed the pretty day. About midway through the run, I decided to check the temps because it felt rather hot outside.

Lesson learned: I will always check the temps BEFORE going for a midday July run!

Thankfully, this guy was a lifesaver! I love having this water fountain along my running route!

Despite the heat, I had a great run and enjoyed the opportunity to gather my thoughts before the crazy weekend began! 

On Saturday morning, my running group began their Fall training season! I always love the first day of GoRun - there's so many new faces and everyone's excited about the upcoming year and what it holds!

This time, I checked the weather before I left my house (around 6:00 a.m.) and the humidity level was already at 91%.  The air was so thick, it was gross.

The humidity really slowed me down on Saturday morning and I was drenched by the time it was all said and done. I originally intended on 6 miles but stopped at 5 instead...I just couldn't take it anymore!

This watermelon at the finish was my saving grace! SO good!! 

Hi, my name is drenched. I just joined GoSwim...I mean GoRun!

The most exciting part about my run was the fact that I received a new training schedule for the Fall/Winter! I love having a new training schedule on my fridge...it really helps keep me motivated!

After the run, I helped host a Wonderland themed bridal shower for one of my best friends! The shower was beautiful and completely unique to the bride...we all loved it! More on the shower tomorrow! :)

Have a wonderful day!!

How was your weekend? Did you run? Any races?

Log Off, Shut Down, Go Run Virtual 10K

This past weekend, I completed the Log Off Shut Down Go Run Virtual 10K which was hosted by Gone For A Run.

As a Gone For A Run Ambassador, I was given an entry to this race free of charge. All opinions stated are my own.

I love the theme behind this event - encouraging runners to get off their computers, cell phones, ipads…you get the picture…and GO RUN!

Saturday morning looked to be a rainy and nasty mess. My running buddy Heather and I decided to meet up with our running group at 6 a.m. and just run through until we were finished.

The humidity was SO high it was hard to breathe. With the impending rain, the air was thick and we were left feeling sticky and gross. Ah, such is the life of a southern runner! :)

A little bit of rain might have cooled us off, but we weren’t that lucky….

As soon as I sat down in my car – and I mean AS SOON AS – it began to rain.

Talk about crazy timing, huh?

I love the medal for this event! They even themed the ribbon to the medal (I love it when races do that)!

Virtual races are a great way to earn bling wherever you are! My favorite part about them is they don’t require an overnight stay out of town (although I do love to travel, there’s no hotel fees involved with virtual races)! :)

A very hard earned medal, humidity-stricken frizzy hair and all!  (Be grateful I chopped off the top of my head in this picture. It was quite scary.)

Thanks so much, Gone For A Run! I appreciate the opportunity to participate in this event!

Until next time, happy running!

Have you ever participated in a virtual race? What do you think of them?

Tips for Running in Humid Conditions

On Saturday morning, my friend Heather and I ran our scheduled long run – nothing out of the ordinary, our usual Saturday morning lineup.

I didn’t check the weather before we began running because I already knew the answer – HOT.

What I didn’t realize or factor in was the humidity level. About 3 miles into our run, I realized that something was different - there was a slight breeze in the air, but it wasn’t doing much to cool us down. We were sweating more than usual, honestly to the point of being drenched (gross, I know…just being honest)!

After checking the weather app, I had my answer. One hundred percent humidity. 100%!! What the heck?

Despite it all, we pushed through and continued our run where we finished at 8 miles. Whew. What a crazy feat!

My friend’s got GUNS!

It never fails here in the South – as the summer draws to a close, the humidity levels tend rise, making for tough running conditions. If you live in the North, you’re probably laughing at me right now. Why post something like this so close to Fall when the temperatures are starting to cool down? Well my friend, the South won’t be experiencing those “cooler Fall temps” until…umm…late October/early November. Which means we still have lots of hot summer-like runs in our future. Lucky us.

After making it through what was possibly one of the hardest long runs of the year, I compiled a checklist of things to remember when running in high head/humid conditions.

• Hydrate. Drink plenty of water the day before you run, this is super important. Also, drink lots of water DURING your run as well. The addition of sports/electrolyte beverages will help, too. If you’re one that doesn’t like to carry water on you during a run, find a few drop off locations or a loop you’ll pass often. At home, I’ve used the old “water in the mailbox” trick before…it was my own mailbox, of course.
• Run early in the morning. We usually begin our long Saturday runs super early in the morning which helps with the heat. It really truly makes a difference. Starting a run just a mere two hours later (I’ve done it before) is sheer torture in the summer!
• Dri-fit clothing. This is super important and will help in wicking moisture away from your skin as you sweat which will help guard against chafing (although it’s not always 100% a guard on it’s own)…
• Body Glide. It’s hot, humid, and you’re sweating. Not only can parts of the body rub together, areas of clothing can rub on the skin, too. If you’ve noticed any of the areas in the past or think you might have an issue, put Body Glide on – it won’t hurt anything in the end!
• Sunscreen. Don’t forget sunscreen. If you’re running later in the day when the sun is out, lather up! This will make a huge difference in the long run, trust me.
• Know when to stop. If your body is telling you that it’s done, listen. Pushing yourself through a run won’t grant you any favors in the long run!

I love this article by Runners World which really puts the humidity into perspective with the coping mechanisms of our bodies.

What’s your favorite running in heat/humidity tip? Can you think of something I didn’t list?

Fitness Friday–6/6

Happy Friday, y’all! Here’s to another weekend (I just love weekends)!

Saturday – 10 mile solo humid run
Sunday – Rest Day
Monday –  5K run
Tuesday – Bridge & Boot Camp workout
Wednesday – 3 miles with Jason for National Running Day 
Thursday – Rest Day
Friday – Afternoon run of some sort, not sure how far yet

Saturday, I have plans for a long run with a friend. After that, I have a few odds and ends to do around the house. I also have another flower bed to build outside (a small one) and I want to clean the deck, glaze over the patio, stain the fence….yeah yeah the list goes on and on. It’s never over, is it? Hah!

All of my projects are written down on a list – in order for me to stay calm and not get overwhelmed, I scratch them off one by one as they are complete. I’m not in a rush to finish any of them, so I take my time and work on them when I’m free.

Enough rambling…back to last week!

Monday’s run was rough – it was humid, I was hot and miserable….it was just an overall blah run. I made myself finish and I felt better in the end.

Tuesday night’s bridge and boot camp was a lot of fun, although I ran it solo this time (with my running group minus my running buddy). I came into the workout knowing that I wanted to run all portions of the bridge without stopping. By the end of it all, my legs were burning and my lungs were screaming, but I didn’t stop!  The bridge mileage totaled a little over 2 miles. I kept reminding myself that I was almost there and I could do it, even though I didn’t think it was possible. The mind is a funny thing, I tell ya.

Sparkle Hearts for National Running Day! I somehow convinced Jason to come out with me for a 3 mile run/walk. We had a lot of fun! :0)

I hope you’ve all had a great week and enjoy the weekend ahead! :D

How do you combat mind games while running? What is the mantra/phrase you stick with to keep you going?

Another Humid One For The Books

Despite recent rains, Saturday morning dawned clear & bright. Did I mention recent rains? Oh…yeah. Then there’s that – humidity.

I was on my own for Saturday’s run and decided to go for 10 miles.

The sunrise was gorgeous, but the air was sticky, thick, and incredibly humid. It was “one of those” runs we usually experience mid to late summer – you know, the kind where you’re drenched within a mile and can hardly breathe? Yeah, that kind.

I tried to make the best of my run by finding items on the summer run hunt scavenger list. I found a few…and one I searched for forever – a house with a #12 on it! I finally found it and I appreciated the distraction. Thanks, guys. :0)

Despite running slower than I wanted, I still came out below a 10 min/mile pace. I also didn’t allow myself to walk any portion of the course, just breaks at water stations.  THAT was tough, especially during the final 2 miles.

After the run, my calves decided to cramp – that’s something that’s never happened to me in the past. Luckily, my coach had a bag of salt packets ready and waiting. Within minutes, I felt 100 x better…although the salt made me want to gag. Yuck.

After I returned home, I had an egg white omelet with spinach, turkey bacon, and a thin slice of cheese. I also had a slice of Whole Foods Seeduction bread (a weakness of mine) and a homemade light almond flavored iced Macchiato.

Then, I took a 3 hour nap. Whew. What a day!

Did you run this weekend? How’s the weather in your area? Is it summer yet?