Back to Reality

It is hard to believe that there is really only one more week of summer (not calendar officially or vernal equinox officially, but in terms of real life officially).  Up until last week, it was also one of my more successful summers of running both in terms of miles and injuries in that I ran a lot of them and none occurred.  Oh I have a couple of little niggles due to tightness and just training in general and even though I wasn't happy with the last week of runs, I really have had a good summer of training.  As for those bad runs, they do happen and sometimes it is hard to face up to that age thing in terms of pushing myself.  After all, I'm complaining about an aborted LT run (ran 3.5 out of 5 LT miles just 3 days after a tough 5K race (2.7 hilly miles) and 5 days after a 20 on very tired legs and then my last long run in which I did only 8 instead of 12 MP miles (in high humidity and after being chased by a dog) - so really I have nothing to complain about.  Yup, it is just hard to accept that they will not all be perfect days - type A personality - welcome to the club.

Highlights of the summer were big though:

     1) I ran the most amount of miles in a month than I had in many years - 198 in July
     2) I nailed 3 out of 4 of my LT runs  ( and the last one was the one described above)
     3) I successfully slowed down my long runs and have felt real good on all of them with the 20   
         being kind of easy and not a trial or slog fest
     4) I ran the fastest time on that 2.7 mile hilly race since 2004 (I ran 19:35 in 2011 and thought I 
         was in great shape and ran 19:30 this year)
     5) The hills are feeling easy (even if I don't run them as fast as I used to) and 6 miles feels like the 
          new 3

It will be interesting to see what I feel like when I get back to Cleveland on flatter terrain but in slightly warmer temperatures and I'll get my first dose on Sunday when I pace the Rock Hall Half Marathon.  www.rockhallhalfmarathon.com  I'm the 2:00 hr pacer which should be a relatively easy pace and I sure hope that it is.  I always worry just a bit, but for the most part I should be fine especially after this down week of mileage.

And a quick recap of last week's mileage:

Monday - No running, but worked out in the gym with Annie
Tuesday - Comfortable 8 miles (8:57 overall pace) with 10 20 sec pickups
Wednesday - Easy 12 miles (9:33 pace) with Chris on Fran's Loop (hilly) followed by an hour of
                 yoga
Thursday - Recovery 6.6 miles (9:33 pace)
Friday - Yoga class
Saturday - 16 miles with 8 @ LT (supposed to be 12); 9:06 overall pace per mile
Sunday - 5.5 miles (8:44 overall pace)

WTD:  48.1  YTD: 1242     

Last year at this time I had run 1122 miles - so I've got 120 more miles with some downtime in early February.  

Heat & Humidity vs. Snow & Ice

As many of you know, I lived in the suburbs of Atlanta, GA for over 20 years, and I ran pretty much most of those years (except for a few months after my daughter was born - she was a preemie, it was hot, and I needed the break), and I ran 99% of those miles outside.  Today, I'm so wondering how I did it.  Now, I've never really considered myself to be a great "hot weather runner" but I survived Boston, 2003 (80F), Mad City Marathon, May, 2006 (78F), Inaugural ING Georgia Marathon, March, 2007 (76F) and of course, Boston , 2012 (89F) and I survived without too much stress.  But man oh man, these last few days have been simply unbearable and it isn't even the actual temperatures, it is the humidity and dewpoint.  I'm drenched by step 10 and simply dripping (and looking like I went swimming rather than running) by mile 3.  I know I need to acclimate, but I'm shocked at how long it seems to be taking this year.  Maybe it's the fact that I really did goof off a bit in May, but I didn't think I'd lost that much fitness, maybe it's that middle age, menopausal change in body chemistry, or maybe it's just me not giving it enough time.  But then again, I look back at previous training logs, and it seems like it is just taking much longer than in the past.

So what advice do I have for hot, humid running - advice that I didn't follow myself this past weekend since I think I'm so acclimated.  After all, I did live in Georgia for over 20 yrs.  Well, here it is:

     1) Run early.  Yes, it might be more humid, but the temperature will feel  
         cooler (since it is) and the sun won't be beating down so hard.
     2) Choose a shaded route - maybe even try trails or a golf course (ours 
         here is hilly but shaded along the perimeter and the early bird golfers 
         here don't seem to mind.
     3) Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate.  But be smart about that hydration.
         Imbibing a bit too much in alcohol with friends that you have not seen 
         in a year is not the correct plan.  And make sure that you carry plenty of
         water/electrolyte drink.
     4) Don't experiment with something new.  Why did I try those Hammer 
         Electrolytes when I'm used to S-caps?  It might be in my head, but I 
         know that S-caps have worked for me.
     5) Watch your nutrition.  Remember those friends and those cocktails - 
         well, don't forget to eat.  Better yet, eat well and drink water!
     6) Listen to your body.  It will tell you if you are overheating, etc.  At  
         least I did that, and my running buds helped there too.
     7) Remember next week will be better.

The good news is that I'm back in Chautauqua which is by far one of the most beautiful (and hilly) places on earth to run.  I can also say that I'm getting in all my altitude training (we are at 1300-1600' here above the lake - 1300' is lake level and I normally train at 550-650') so that is definitely the reason I feel so sluggish and compromised - right????  It is hard to believe though that anywhere could be as quiet on the back roads - you might see a cyclist, other runner, an Amish family in a buggy or unfortunately a dog - as cars are pretty much delegated to the local county highway, but don't venture much into the backroads as this is a vacation area (lakes tend to do that and we are 1.5 hrs from Buffalo, NY, 2.5 hrs from Cleveland, OH, and 3 hrs from Pittsburgh, PA) that is generally quite rural.  It is so pleasant to simply enjoy the countryside and the country running.

And some running friends......

In spite of the heat, humidity, and hills (a motto used by Big Peach Running Co in Atlanta), it is a wonderful place.  I did get in 35 miles which is the most I've done in a week for a while and I did finish June with 125 miles.  It is a long way until the NYC marathon and by then, I might be acclimated.

And as a reminder, so I just stop bitchin......

They get something like 300" of snow here too.

Until then, miles of smiles.