Running away from August! Onward into September!

So, here in the SLC, we've had two months in a row with record high average temps. This is the overall average for the month, including nighttime: 86.2 F for July and 82.7 F for August. I am sooooooo ready to have fewer than 27 days over 90 F.

That said, I had a lovely run this September morning on some beautiful trails that had been dampened (but not muddied) by a little rain last night. It was 57 F when I started. It was awesome, so awesome that I didn't mind the humidity. The rain also resulted in awakening the smells of the forest and good tracking surfaces (I do a lot of tracking and general naturalizing when I run).

Bring on the autumn weather pattern!

And in KY, after a hot and humid holiday weekend, it was a beautiful morning, low 60s with low humidity. My hurt calf is feeling much better, but I'm not pushing it. Just 4.5 miles this morning and it seems a lot of people in this part of town took advantage of holiday furniture sales, there were a lot of old couches and easy chairs sitting at the curb on this our garbage day. Also saw a rabbit darting out from a community garden.

Yes, bring on autumn! My favorite season (except for the raking).

Not very nice here today, hot and humid. I had to run in the afternoon because we are back in school. It always takes me a good 4-6 weeks to adjust to afternoon workouts once school starts. So on that hot and humid afternoon note, I was a bit of a trudge, but I got it done.

While we were in NJ taking care of my very infirm FIL I managed to get in two of the best runs I've ever had there, including one in the rain. (Also a nice yoga class at the studio around the corner.) I guess everyone was at the Shore for the long weekend, because there was hardly any traffic.

I'm exhausted. All yesterday in airports, TSA destroyed my hardshell suitcase, home last night, spent all day today marking roads for our upcoming bike tour, definitely need to run in the morning.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by rocknrollgirl

I was a bit of a trudge, but I got it done.

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I should have trudged but ate cookies instead. I need to NOT buy boxes of cookies. :o

Yellow, that may become a new quote hanging in my classroom. " I should have trudged, but at cookies instead"

We were scheduled to go backpacking this weekend, so I was kind of looking forward to a break from the long run this week. Now it looks like weather may thwart us, so I may be mapping out a 9 mile run anyway. Poo.

I did just officially sign up for another half in December, so it looks like this will be the winter of running for me. :)

Trudge Day 2

Although I felt like poo during yesterday's run, it was slightly less of a trudge than Tuesday. I at least got in 10 sets of striders at the end. Tomorrow will be our long run on the trails. I hope I get some snap back. OY.

I took a roundabout route to the track today, and went past the private college's still-under-construction track complex on the way. It's looking beautiful. When it's done, there will be 8 full sized, less than 5 yr old running tracks in town, none of them open to the public. But the fence at this one looks like it will be climbable, don't know what security will be like though. Did my intervals on the short track at the old school closed at integration. It's better than nothing...

skhill, they built a beautiful track at the University of Utah here and I did run on it once this summer. It is HUGE! They have a few posted public hours but they are scarce. I'll probably just stick to the the local HS whenever I get back to doing track intervals (which I actually kind of like, in a sick sort of way).

I trudged up in the mountains after work today and while I was up there, it got really windy down in the valley (which is only 5-6 miles down canyon). I drove down the canyon into a giant dust bank. It was disgussssssting. I could smell the lake, too (the Great Salt Lake; it has a unique aroma that wafts over the city when we get those west winds). The run was just OK. My legs hurt this week. I had to walk a couple of the hills that I ran without problem last week. :(

As I was finishing my run, the front runners of the Wasatch Front 100 were coming up the same canyon. It was pretty hot today, and they looked a bit fried (this is about 60 miles in to the race). I gave a few friendly beeps as I drove past going down canyon. They will still be running when I go to bed tonight.

RnR, please note my new signature!

Yellow......HA! How about we boldly trudge AND eat cookies!

We did our long run today. Less of a trudge than this week. The weather was perfection. We went to a local park and did loops. This time of year we do not dare set foot in the woods the chiggers and ticks are SO bad. So our local park ( which has some really nice trails), is a winter running spot. There is a 3 mile loop, mostly flat that is very wide that we can manage safely this time of year if we spray. So we did loops on that. We set up a "water stop" and hit that to fuel at the end of every loop.

We got in four loops. I ran the whole time, no walking. Happy with that. Our race is in three weeks so we will probably start to step it down after this.

Mmmmmmm, cookies.

I did heart rate intervals today. Haven't really been doing much speedwork, but it felt good. I'm pretty well mentally exhausted and over-taxed, so I wanted a compressed workout.

I'm signed up for Columbus half in October, not as a goal race but just for the heck of it, but I'd like to at least not embarrass myself. It's not too late to get in a couple of longer runs before then ... I haven't been running much over 9.5 consistently.

I don't usually post here because I'm not that much of a runner, though I'm gradually trying to get there.

But today I got myself a new mental prop. Running is pretty hard work to me, and I like using mental images and music to keep me focussed. And struggling up one of the small, steep hills on my semi-commute run I started thinking how these tough little hills where I feel slow and unfit are the ones that are actually making me strong, not the easy stretches where I just fly. And I got the image of loading a spring, like winding up something. Loading a spring is hard work, and you have to put in a steady effort rather than a short burst. But once it's loaded you can release all that energy later.

Works for me :-)

LPH, I like that image!

I did my 9 mile run on Saturday. Funny thing was, it felt better (and was faster) than my 8 mile run last week so I am definitely making progress. My DH just broke down and signed up for the half I'm doing in December. This is HUGE for him as 1) he is not a runner, 2) the longest he's ever run was 6 miles with me two years ago and 3) he is terrible at sticking to commitments to race or train. I sent him my training plan after modifying it a bit for him and hopefully, he'll stick with it.

Next weekend, I'll be in FL for my 10 mile run. I'm torn. I like the trail i'm planning to run on and the general flatness of the area...but I'm not looking forward to the heat and humidity.

Be careful with that heat, GLC. Don't know what the temperatures have been up by you, but most of FL is still getting heat indexes in the mid to high 90s. Glad you have a nice place to run though ... IME what Florida lacks in brutal 20% grades, it more than makes up for in boring. :p

I just did a weetie little recovery run yesterday. My lack of speedwork was, ahem, apparent the next day. :rolleyes:. Yoga today, going for 11-ish tomorrow.

As I was trudging/plodding/attempting to run/hiking/running today, I had this image of myself as a tail-less Shamu, trying to swim through stale molasses. Or perhaps a 3-legged elephant trying to run through a mud bog. Pathetic with a capital P. I would really like to know where my strong, pain-free legs are. It was so discouraging that I began trying to convince myself that my life would be just fine without exercise. It was a whole lot of garbage--stomach hurt, back was cranky, legs really hurt, I had massive chub rub, ad nauseum. Yep, one of those days. The trail was in great shape (we got some rain over the weekend that really knocked the dust down) and I saw no one else out there. Lots of fall colors, too. So I guess it wasn't all bad :) I do think, however, that I left my mojo in Tahoe in mid-July. I wish I could coax it to come back to Utah. I know, wah.

lph, I have a similar image I use sometimes. I think of a string pulling me up (as in keeping my upper body stacked over my hips) and my legs being like a wind up toy; the more that string pulls, the longer my legs will stay "loaded" (keep going). I should have used that today but I think I was wallowing in my misery too much to think clearly :p

Quote:

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Originally Posted by yellow

As I was trudging/plodding/attempting to run/hiking/running today, I had this image of myself as a tail-less Shamu, trying to swim through stale molasses. Or perhaps a 3-legged elephant trying to run through a mud bog.

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Nah, you were just loading the spring :D Wouldn't want to break the spring now, would you!

We're having a return of summer this week, yuck. 75F and humid at dawn; felt like I was running through sludge. I went through the university campus for the first time since classes started, and now I remember why I don't usually go there on school days. Even at 6:30 AM there was quite a bit of traffic and inattentive drivers.

So happy we don't have the humidity (28%) , but it was 75 degrees when I ran at 5 this morning. The fore casted high is 95, I think it will go higher.

I think I've finally had a breakthrough. This morning's run did not feel like I was fighting with my body to propel it forward. The massage therapist at my chiro worked on my hips yesterday. It was pretty painful at the time and left me with some bruises. :D But my intervals today were faster and felt more fluid and graceful. I hope I can replicate it on my next run.

Veronica

September heat wave.
I said I would do eleven.
Found my max heart rate.

Forecast high of 92 today (I'm still in Oregon), so I'm not looking forward to running. Inside is not an option since our treadmill is in the garage and it is decidedly hotter than 92 in there if the sun is out (south facing garage).

DH and I will be running together but we have to bowl first, so it'll be kind of late before we start. I'm hoping it will cool off fast enough to be worth the wait. We'll see....

Sounds like we are all in the same boat this week. It was 87 degrees when we went out yesterday and the humidity was through the roof. Miserable, but we got it done. Tempo work. Fall can't get here soon enough for me.

I ran today! Yes, I am trying to celebrate even the smallest effort. So last spring my lofty goal was possibly a 50k to celebrate my 50th b-day at the end of the year. But since I continue try and get the running bug back I am having to scale down my goal. Today I sent in the money for a trail 1/2 marathon mid Nov. That has been another goal of mine--to do a 1/2 but not on the road. I know I can do 13.1 miles. I know it won't be pretty or fast. This off road 1/2 is advertised as not technical and it's not one of the local Xterra races. So begins my "abbreviated" training plan!

Ran the 3.4 loop. It was hot (what is new). I didn't even look at time or pace, I am sure it was my usual slow speed--but who cares. I noted the "trudging" referral in the previous posts. I call it "slogging". Sometimes I feel like I am actually running but most of the time I think I am just doing a slow jog = slogging!

Hope to be posting more regularly now!

K

Did my "long run" today = 5 miles. So I usually run with my Gamin, but lately I've been running with my iphone and the "map my run" app (well actually it map my ride but it does the same thing!). The GPS on my phone shows me running longer--I've noticed this since I KNOW the distances of my various routes. Today for the 5 miles (per Garmin) my iphone GPS had me at 5.3 Makes a big difference in my overall pace. I'm planning to stick with my Garmin reading as I have always used that for distance and pace. Just wondering if anyone else has experienced this. I know GPS can vary.

katluvr, I'm new to using a Garmin, and I've noticed a difference too. Not as dramatic a difference, but I was just using an online map to figure distances, after running. The Garmin figures it slightly shorter, more like 5.0 to 5.15. I trust the Garmin more-- it's proven accurate on the track.

Today was a cranky run, body and mind alike. Only went 3 miles or so. But a dramatic cold front's coming today, and I'll be needing to break out cool weather running gear this weekend. It could get down below 40F! I'm so excited! Now I need to remember where I put the mittens and hats.

What a difference 25 degrees makes ....

The front came through yesterday. I'm really not ready for fall overall, but I sure wasn't ready for running in a heat index over 100 earlier this week, either (notice how I can't count syllables when my brain is cooked? :rolleyes:). Today I did 10.5 ... about 1:30/mile faster than the 11 the other day, at an average heart rate 21 bpm lower, on a slightly hillier route. Dang.

We had a cool day today barely making 60* and my ride felt nice. But just a few days ago here in SE Mich we had highs of 96*. Tomorrow we are to wake up to 40*. We call it Michigan weather .. lol

I came in this morning to say Waaaaahhhhhh. Group hug please.

Yesterday I woke up with a scratchy throat. Blamed it on allergies ( that is my story and I am sticking to it). By the end of the day the discomfort had migrated downward. Left school with a frog throat.
Came home feeling like a weepy 5 year old that needed a nap or a time out, was VERY cranky to my DH, who just took it. I ended up in tears. He then gave me a time out:) Woke up this morning, throat feels better, but I sound awful. He just left to go do our long run on a beautiful fall morning. No running for me.:(((((

My race is in 2 weeks. POOOOO. I will see how I feel tomorrow. I know at this point that the hay is in the barn, but still. Poo.

And for heaven's sake I NEVER get sick, who gets a sore throat the second week of school? ( allergies, still sticking with that one) Sigh.

Ok, done whining now.

I had a cold the second week of school this year. My kids (5th grade) love to hug me as they leave each day. Not all of them, but 4 or 5 everyday.

My classroom itself makes me ill. The humidity at my house is usually right around 28%. I live 1.2 driving miles from my school. The humidity in my classroom is 55%. It's gross. The air in my room just feels thick! I know that's not high compared to where some of you are. :D

Hope you feel better soon, RNRG!

Veronica

Veronica,
just hearing that I am not alone in my fight against kid germs makes me feel better. Sorry that you too were stuck down. Truthfully, I am sitting here trying to imagine what 28% humidity feels like. In my head I guess I imagine San Fran to be cool and humid. I guess not! Your are right, 55% here is low, low, low.

Hey, at least the dust bunnies are going to get chased.

We live halfway between San Francisco and Sacramento, with a couple of low mountain ranges in between. Totally different weather here, more Central Valley than coast!

Yeah, kids are just little germ factories. I've got a couple who are incessant washers and hand sanitizers, but most are not.

Veronica

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Veronica

I had a cold the second week of school this year. My kids (5th grade) love to hug me as they leave each day. Not all of them, but 4 or 5 everyday.

My classroom itself makes me ill. The humidity at my house is usually right around 28%. I live 1.2 driving miles from my school. The humidity in my classroom is 55%. It's gross. The air in my room just feels thick! I know that's not high compared to where some of you are. :D

Hope you feel better soon, RNRG!

Veronica

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wOw .. your home humidity is very low. I have 5 tropical fish tanks in my bedroom for the past three years. Prior to having them there the humidity was low, wake up with congestion etc. Those symptoms have disappeared and I went 2 1/2 years without even a cold .. until I was scheduled to visit my daughter in S.C. .. yep caught a cold the week before (but it was very mild and gone just before leaving :0)

I suspect the reason isn't too low .. or too high but your constant daily change from one to the other. Your body is in constant adjustment mode and why you get sick easier. I would up the humidity in your home.

48F and breezy this morning, woohoo! It was a struggle at first to keep to a long run sort of pace, but after 3 miles I felt like I had settled in to a pace I could maintain all day. Went 8.5 miles, and could easily have kept going, but my hands and butt were numb from the cold, so I went home and warmed up. I love fall!

I passed 1,000 miles for the year today.

I did a workout that was basically half of the one I was doing the day I got hurt a year and a half ago this week: 4 x mile @ half marathon pace or slightly faster, with 1 minute rest intervals. Half, only because it's the shape I'm in now, and I'm only looking at a non-goal half marathon at the moment. It felt so easy I almost decided to do more, but I'm pretty sure I'd pay for it tomorrow if I did, and I really didn't want to tear myself up at this point. There'll be plenty of time for sore in the spring. :p

Funny you all should be talking about humidity - I sure missed the west coast humidity today.

I did 3 miles per my plan on Friday here in FL and it was OK. It was at about 6 pm, so kinda hot but I had plenty of shade on my route. I didn't really get over-heated until about 2.5 miles, so it was survivable. Oddly enough, the humidity allowed me to run it comfortably without water where I always have a really dry mouth at home after 3 miles.

Today I did my long run - 10 miles. It felt like 20! Holy hell...it sucks running here. I was out there by 7:30 but it really didn't matter. 92F and 88% humidity. Half my route was in the sun without shade and I was seriously wilted. I parked in the middle, ran 2.5 miles in one direction and then turned around and then 2.5 miles in the other direction and back again. That allowed me to keep cold water at the car to cool off and resupply at the half-way point. I should have run it the other way around though because direction one was shadier than direction two (lesson learned for next time!). At 8 miles, I really wasn't sure I was going to finish and I started walking in the tiny shade spots to try and cool down a bit. Oddly enough, my overall pace pretty much matched the pace I do at home for long runs, even with all that walking. I was thinking it was running on flats vs hills, but really, I think it's running on an uninterrupted MUP vs running on sidewalks with lots of traffic lights.

I will say that I've never been so glad to be done with a run as I was today!

Veronica, get a humidifier for your bedroom!

Did another 3.5 mile run here in FL. All this exercise down here on this trip has shown me that clearly my body is still capable of copious amounts of sweat! I am quite literally, dripping.

Weather forecast for Sunday's 11 mile run at home is 65F and dry. I can't wait (never thought I'd be saying that about a run!).

Had an appt so I had to get up and moving on my day off. Headed out for my 6 mile run just before the sun rose fully over the horizon so not do hot and sunny. I think it is a bit less humid/muggy. We in FL savor any decrease in humidity and the cooler (although only slight) mornings. I felt pretty good, still slow, still with walk breaks, but felt a bit stronger and pace picked up just a tad bit.
Heading to Tennessee with my folks on Thursday. Not sure if I'll be able to escape for a run or not but packed the shoes and one running outfit. Sure would love a cool morning run (plus some hills :p)
K

Still plenty humid here, but it's cooling off. I did a nice 12-miler today and didn't have too much trouble keeping the pace up. I'm starting to get some enthusiasm for the half next month.

I overslept this morning (can't believe the cats let their breakfast be late!) so I missed out on my run. It's supposed to rain this evening and tomorrow, too...

There's a plethora of races around here this weekend. In my city, there's a mud run (not interested), a cross-country 5K (with the rain, it will likely be a mud run too) and a road 5k. Seems like all the surrounding towns have 5ks Saturday too. I was considering the XC; it's the same course that hosted a NCAA race last weekend. But not in the rain!