Uncool Runnings

It was 100 degrees today when I started my run. I planned on a lot of walking, just like I did on Tuesday. And once again it worked. Fortunately it hasn't been humid like it normally is during the summer. Plus we had a slight breeze. I walked one time more than on Tuesday, on the hill approaching the traffic circle on the way back. All in all it was a good, slow run. I think I actually sweated more a couple of days ago, but that's because I pushed a little harder. It was another 4-miler and a fitting run for the end of August.

95

I guess you could say I'm as used to high temperatures as one can get. Today the thermometer read 95 degrees when I set out for my 4-mile run. As before, I planned ahead and took a bottle of solid ice, which mostly thawed during the run, and took a walk break every mile. I also kept my pace closer to 11 minutes than to 9. It worked wonderfully. Not that I didn't sweat. Not that at the end I was breathing hard. No, it was definitely a taxing run, even with all that, because of the heat. A month or so ago there's no way I would have run on a day like this. Now that I've done it several times it's manageable. I believe this is called acclimating to the weather. Lower temps would be nice, but I'm not going to complain. I'll save that for winter.

Rain!

Last night I was up late so I stayed in bed later than usual. Or maybe it's better described as staying in bed as long as I wanted. Then I had orchestra practice, which ended early. I decided to run right away when I got home since the day was overcast and rain was threatening. It actually did more than threaten - for one of the few times in the last six months it actually rained! Not enough to really even get the dirt wet, but enough to make me adapt a little bit. I took my iPod with me when I headed out but the sprinkles made me think it would be a good idea to ditch the music in case the rain picked up. I ran out a mile and then looped back through the neighborhood to drop off the iPod and my sunglasses. That turned out to be a good decision as I actually got to hear the raindrops on the road, on the leaves of trees, and even sizzling on the overhead power lines on my way back. It was a great experience, one where I was almost in that runner's high. In fact, I might have been for the last two miles or so. I went 6 miles total and even though I was rained on it was worth every drop.

Missed a Post

I didn't run last week while on vacation, shame on me, but I did run Tuesday and forgot to post about it. I would say the day was summer-like, but since it's actually summer I don't need to say it. The temperature was about 90 degrees and I took my bottle of water with me. I kept it slow and went two miles before turning around. I walked a little up the hill by the golf course and then again up another hill a half mile later. Once I got to the crosswalks I walked again. When I finally reached the neighborhood I walked the last quarter mile. All in all I went about four miles but probably ran about 3.5. It wasn't too bad for my first day running in a week, and in hot weather at that, but the heat definitely did me in by the end.

Today the weather was about the same with a little bit more of a southwesterly breeze. When I turned on the Garmin it told me it had a low battery. I plugged it into the computer, instantly causing a dreaded BSOD, which is a lot less common than it used to be. Apparently there's a conflict with the Garmin driver and Win 7. Won't do that again. Especially when The Wife is reading email. Anyway, today I determined to run a mile and then walk a short distance, which turned out to be three light poles. It worked out pretty well since today's run went a lot better than on Tuesday. I actually ran up a couple of hills I've been walking and count this as a 4-mile run. It's supposed to rain on Saturday but I won't believe it until I see it.

Two in a Row

When was the last time I ran two days in a row? I'm too lazy to go back and look. Today I went 6 miles and had a good run, although at times I felt kind of tight. In fact, a couple of times I felt like an old man running. What the heck?

The last two days I've worn my RoadID all day on my right wrist to keep from bending it. I seriously thought about going to the doctor, but my self-diagnosis and treatment seems to have worked. Tonight it feels about as normal as possible. I decided that if I went to a doctor all he would do is give me a brace to immobilize it for several days. Seems like I was right.

Monday Running

Today was too nice to not run. Plus I've been nursing my right wrist, which I think I sprained last week. The sad thing is that I'm not sure how I did so. Nevertheless it's put me in a spot where I can't do my usual weights. With that in mind and combined with the weather it seemed like running was the right thing to do. I think this was probably the coolest weather I've run in outside in months, with a temp around 74 degrees. I ran 5 miles right at a 10 minute/mile pace. Today I also transferred to another section at work, which brought some added stress. I worked in this area for 3.5 years and as I was running today it came to me that the reason I probably ran so much during that time was as a stress release. Seems like I'm picking right back up where I left off.

Six Plus One

The heat's broken for a few days. This morning it was sunny but the temperature had not yet risen to today's high of 84. I thought about running eight miles or so, but my youngest wanted to run some, too, so I went out for 6 miles and came home to get her to run another mile with me.

She's inspired by the Olympics, no doubt, but this is also the girl who beat all her older siblings and cousins in the Turkey Trot 5k in 2009. Last week at church they announced a 5k at the beginning of October, and she's interested in running that one. It's cool to see her so interested in running at such a young age, and it's up to me to keep her interest level in it. She needs bigger shoes and said at the end of the run that she's not running again until she gets new shoes. I don't blame her. She ran the whole mile without stopping. Once we get those new shoes we can spend the next couple of months building up 3.1 miles.

I saw several people running this morning with their dogs and was a little bit jealous. But then I got to run with my youngest daughter, which was way better.

Out There

Today the temperature seemed reasonable enough to run outside. The wind was blowing and a few scattered clouds made it bearable. Even with temperatures in the mid-80's it was still hot. I made it 4 miles at a pretty slow pace, but it was still better than running inside.

And what is it with drivers not stopping for pedestrians who are ready to cross the street in a marked crosswalk? Is it because they're in a traffic circle and therefore the drivers feel like they don't have to stop? I had another one today who was in the circle and of course I couldn't tell if they were going to stay in the circle or come my way, so I stopped. I don't trust people, especially people I don't know. As usual, it's a good thing I stopped because the guy accelerated out of the circle with no hesitation and no regard for the pedestrian (me). If I didn't think I'd get maimed I'd start running out into the street to make them slam on their brakes. Once in a while I come across a person who slows and stops so I can cross. The only explanation I can find for such drivers is that they must be fellow runners.

Back Inside Part III

I had that blah feeling this afternoon and seriously considered not running. But I didn't something yesterday that I don't normally do - I weighed myself. With all of this inconsistent running it seems I've put on 7-8 pounds, which is not surprising since my pants have been a little...tighter around the waist lately. That thought spurred me to jump on the treadmill (it was 104 this afternoon - not conducive to an outdoors run) and run 5 miles.

I don't run to control my weight, but I will admit it's a nice byproduct. It's been well over a year since my last race and I can tell in my general fitness level. This weekend I put together a training plan for the KC Half Marathon in October. If I can get in the training during the heat of summer I think I can run the race. Maybe not my fastest ever, but at least it'll get me back in the game. Time to kick it up a notch.

Update: After I published this I realized this is the third time I've titled a post "Back Inside." Sometimes my unoriginality can be inspiring.

Outside

This week I was in Philadelphia again, with no way to post after my runs. For some reason I haven't been able to creates posts on my iPad.

I ran twice at Neshaminy State Park. Both days were extremely hot and extremely humid. At least the running trail offers plenty of shade. On Tuesday I ran counter-clockwise and went a total of 4.25 miles. I wanted to get to an even four and ran up the middle of the park by the pool and around the picnic area. That added a little more distance then I'd originally wanted, but a quarter mile wasn't too bad. I was just happy to be running outside again.

On Thursday I changed it up and ran clockwise, which was nice because I had a better view of the river and the Philadelphia skyline. It was a hotter day, or so it seemed, and by the time I'd run two circuits of the park I had no interest in trying to get to a round number. I ended up at 3.75 miles.

Both days my mileage wasn't as much as I'd intended, but I return to my philosophy of effort versus mileage. With the heat and humidity my level of effort was at least as much as a 6-mile run on a spring day. And I certainly sweated more.

Today was going to be a treadmill day. I woke up briefly about 6 a.m. and thought about going for a run then, but sleeping longer won the argument. A few hours later I drove to the store to get some milk and saw a ton of people walking and running because of the thick cloud cover. The temperature was 85 degrees, but the clouds and a little bit of breeze made it seem cooler. I took my water bottle, which turned out to be a good move. I kept the pace slow and easy and went 6 miles. The only time I walked was coming up the hill by the golf course. I definitely needed to slow for a walk since I could feel my heart beating way too fast. I'll be interested to see how the heart monitor recorded that stage of the run.

For at least a week I was able to run outside. That was a nice treat.

Back Inside

This was kind of a lost week for running since The Wife and older kids were out of town. I had offsite meetings on Tuesday and on Thursday it was my mom's last night to be here. In both cases I weaseled out of running, leaving only today to finish out the week. I ran 6 miles on the treadmill again. It went fine but I'm looking forward to running outside again someday. Sure, the temperature was in the low 90's instead of over the century mark, but that's still pretty darn hot. This week I'll be out of town and will try to keep it going, hopefully outdoors.

Weighing the Alternatives

This morning I woke up early enough to have a choice about running or going on a grocery run. I chose to get to the stores and avoid the crowds. As we drove by a number of runners out to beat the heat I felt a twinge of remorse, knowing I would end up on the treadmill again. But I can't be too upset with myself since I really don't like crowded grocery stores and there were some good deals I would have missed if I'd gone later in the day. I got in my 6 miles and some Breaking Bad. Guess I can't complain too much. With more 100 degree days in the future it looks like I might finish Season 4 before the month is out.

The Fun Continues

More heat, more running inside today. 6 more miles on the treadmill and another 1.5 episodes of Breaking Bad. When I left work this afternoon and got in my truck the temperature read 120 degrees. Of course that's because the truck had been sitting outside all day and once I got going the reading plummeted to 106 degrees. I love summer!

It's getting to be time to pick a race. I need to do something this fall and figure out a training plan. Maybe next week when I'm sitting at all-day meetings with nothing better to do.

Back Inside

I'm back to running on the treadmill after Saturday's outing. The temperature is expected to be in triple digits several times over the next couple of weeks, and that means more treadmill running. Yesterday I ran 6 miles and felt just fine. It also helped that the Season 4 of Breaking Bad is now on Netflix. The downstairs TV isn't hooked into anything other than a DVD player, so I had a new setup. I brought the iPad with me and set it on the treadmill console. Unless I'm watching a DVD this might be my new setup for good. It took a few seconds to get used to bouncing up and down as I ran and the screen shifting a little as well, but it wasn't bad. And definitely worth it, both for the run and for the quality show.

Hot and Semi-Stupid

I waited too long to run this morning and paid the price. I had to drop off one of the kids at 10 a.m. at church, and on the way back I saw several people out running and walking. I thought to myself that it seemed okay and not too hot and hey, I should do that myself since I'm a little tired of running inside. I changed quickly and set out. I kept the pace slow and planned on some walk breaks. By the time my 6 miles was up I'd walked five times, mostly on uphill parts so that my core temp wouldn't get too high. As always with these types of runs it's mostly about the lack of shade on my route. I always feel like things would go better if I wasn't in direct sunlight the whole time. I was pretty done in by the time I got home, but not horribly bad. I also mowed the lawn this afternoon, and after that little bit extra outside I decided to spend the rest of the afternoon sitting on the couch and watching a ball game. Which turned out to be a bust since my team lost in extra innings. At least the lazy part of that worked out well.

Two Runs

I started out the week in DC. The high temperatures had plummeted to the mid-80's by the time I arrived, meaning I could run outside. On Tuesday I rode the Metro to L'Enfant Station and walked up to the National Mall. The center paths were closed for construction or something, so I ran the perimeters of the Mall, which were clogged with tourists. I headed east to the Capitol and ran around the pool and went west. Past the Washington Monument, the World War II Memorial, in front of the Lincoln Memorial before bending around to the Korean War Memorial, one of my favorites. At that point I ran east again through the MLK Memorial and along the north edge of the Tidal Basin. By this point the humidity was getting to me so I walked a little around the Jefferson Memorial. I ran/walked the rest of the way back to Crystal City. The last mile or so I walked. The total for running was about 6.5 miles and the grand total by the time I made it to the hotel was about 8 miles. I love running in DC and even though running-wise it wasn't the best, it was still fun.

Today back in KC there were thunderstorms in the area. The temperature here had dropped but I'm not a big fan of lightning so I ran inside. I finished up Lonesome Dove and got in 6 miles. The treadmill is nowhere near as exciting as a run through DC, but it served its purpose.

Scorcher

Today the temperature on the thermometer in the truck showed up as 106 degrees. Needless to say I ran on the treadmill again rather than dissolving into a puddle out in the hot, hot sun. We're supposed to get a break starting tomorrow, but in the meantime a fan and the treadmill were what I dealt with today. I ran 6 miles, giving me a total of 15 miles for the week It was a good week exercise-wise, with three days of running and three days of weights. It's nice to get back in the swing of things just in time to be interrupted by a trip to DC this week. At least I can take my running shoes and get in a run in one of my favorite running venues.

Joys of Treadmill Running

Still over 100 degrees during the day here, and once more unto the treadmill. Today I experienced one of those joys of treadmill running. I'd done my five-minute warmup and had run for about seven minutes. Lonesome Dove was in the DVD player again and things were going well except I noticed I was sweating a little more than the last few times. It finally dawned on me that I forgot to plug in the fan that circulates the air and keeps me cooled down. I hopped off and stepped over to where the fan plugs into the power strip. As I lifted the power strip my thumb hit the power button, which naturally shut down the whole operation, including the treadmill. Good grief. So I had an unscheduled break while I powered everything up again and returned to the previous state, except this time with the fan running. And speaking of running, I went 5 miles. Now if I could just stop eating so much I might actually feel better about everything.

Treadmill in Summer

With the temperature over 100 degrees outside it was definitely another day for running inside. I plugged Lonesome Dove into the DVD player. It was fun because I haven't watched it in a couple of decades. In fact, I still remember when it premiered on TV because my college buddies and I made quite the event of it. I ran 4.5 miles with more to come on Thursday.

Fo' Miles

I've been lazy. No other way around it other than to admit it. Between being out of town, having company, and other assorted activities, I've been lazy. Now that the temperatures are in the scorching range it's time to get back to some running.

Last Saturday the Virtual Running Partner and I went for a run of 4 miles. It was a good thing we did because that was really the only good time to run while his family was here. It was cloudy and about 70 degrees, but by mid-afternoon the sun had come out and cranked up the temperature to 90 degrees, where it's stayed every day since then.

Today the thermometer is supposed to top out close to 100 degrees. I ran 4 miles on the treadmill with an electric fan trained on me and Field of Dreams on the DVD player. When I came back upstairs The Boy chided me for having a fan and "cheating." I told him cheating was better than running outside and getting heat stroke. Not sure he bought it but I don't care. This will probably happen frequently over the next several weeks until the weather cools down again.