Three Things: Embrace the Heat

This summer, and specifically during the marathon training cycle, I've decided to focus on three areas to improve upon. I think I've done a really good job of physically preparing myself for marathon training--putting in quality, consistent miles for the last two years. Surely I'll spend the summer and early fall doing the same, including more marathon specific runs, long runs, and workouts, but I'm also excited to work to improve in a few other areas.

Learn to better tolerate the heat. If you know me, you know I don't do well in the heat. I'm a sweaty sweater. I blame my mother and father for passing on their ability to sweat buckets to me. Thanks parents. I've always been someone who's very warm all the time. Growing up, we were really poor and didn't have air conditioning. My bedroom was always upstairs, and I basically spent every summer of my adolescence with heat rash all over my chest and stomach because of the heat and my body's inability to handle it. Uff da. I've always been the sweatiest kid on the basketball court, the runner who could wring out their hair/bra/tank/socks after a humid run.

In the past I've worked to avoid the heat. Waking up at ungodly hours to run in the coolest temps of the day, switching around workouts to have the most optimal conditions for workouts and long runs, planning my racing schedule around the seasons, but this summer I'm going to switch things up a bit. This goal, is in part put in place because Grandma's half is just around the corner. And if the past two weeks are any indication, it could be hot as hades out there. We're spending a decent amount of money to run the race, stay in Duluth, drive all the way out there, etc. and I don't want to waste all that money on a day that I say "I'm not even going to try, it's too hot!" (In the event that it's black flags or close to, please give me permission to say this! I won't not run, but I definitely will be keeping it easy effort if necessary for safety!)

I plan to spend some time in the early mornings running when the humidity is at its worst (my kryptonite, really). I also plan to spend some after work runs, probably easier paced runs, running in the heat. The best way to get better at something is to do it, right? I'm also going to practice focusing on effort during these hotter and more humid runs vs. looking at my Garmin for how things are going. During our track work last week in 80+ degrees, my repeats at 3k-5k pace were not at 3k-5k pace, but the effort I was running was as if I was racing a 5k on an 80+ degree night.

I'm also trying to spend more time outside during the day, taking lunch breaks outside (in the shade to save my poor skin) and limiting my air conditioning in the car. What's a little sweat right? It's summer! Rest assured I'll still have the air blaring when I sleep at night because no adult needs a full front side of heat rash. Barf. I'm also working on eating more cooling foods to help reduce internal inflammation so my perception of heat is different. TBD how that works out!

This is already probably too long for most people to read so stayed tuned for #2 and #3!

Weekly Training Recap: Heat Edition

Monday I spent at the lake cabin. I didn't even bring footwear other than flip flops with me, so running was out of the question. Kyle and I did take out the kayaks in the thick thick humidity and we bopped around the lake for awhile. I finally started to get the hang of it, so I challenged him to a race back to the cabin and almost won. I'm secretly training for the next go around.

Tuesday I had big plans to wake up before work to go run, because I knew the temps all week were going to be tippy toeing on 90+ degrees. Well I was exhausted, and slept in until 7 instead. Oops. After work it was so hot I thought I was going to die. So I grabbed my road bike and headed out for some miles instead of a run.

I haven't spent much time on the bike since spring/summer 2012 when I did a half century ride.

It was a great ride, and I managed to sustain 15 mph average. Which is really fast for me, sadly. I was hitting paces in the 16-17 mph range for the most part but there were 2 areas under heavy construction where I had to bike through loose gravel or broken asphalt where I slowed waaaaaay down.

I'm hoping I can throw in a weekly long ride on days that are crazy crazy warm instead of just being lazy and doing nothing.



After the ride I inhaled a good portion of this watermelon. Watermelon is the catalyst for getting me through long runs in the summer. Did you know that?  So good.



I love this shot.



Wednesday I was supposed to met Jenn J. at the track for a speed session but my stomach hurt. :(

Thursday I finally got up before work and got in some miles. Luckily I didn't work until 9am, so I didn't even have to be out the door until 7! I had enough time for 5.5 hilly general aerobic miles before it was time to come home, shower, grab a giant starbucks iced latte (my face stayed this red until 1 or 2 pm.) and head to work.

Friday I had the day off from work so I hit the track to take on my abandoned speed session from Wednesday. I had planned to be there from 7-8am so it wouldn't get so hot, but didn't end up getting there until 8am. Every time we've used this track, it's been after suppertime, so it's nice and shaded. Well, it's completely in sun's way in the morning!

It was hot (80 degrees) and humid (80%). I was drenched after my warm up mile. I did the unthinkable: I ditched my tank top. AND IT FELT MAGICAL. The little breeze I was creating by cruising around the track felt so good on my mostly bare skin. It was a helpful reminder that I need to ramp up the core work and reign in the Qdoba eating, but overall it was great.

I knew it was going to be a struggle to hit my mile repeat paces in the heat and humidity. I gave myself a pass of sorts and would accept anything under 8:30. And if I couldn't hit that pace, I'd just run as hard as I could to get in a quality speed workout with some heat acclimation thrown in for funsies. 

When my first repeat clocked at 8:17, I was certain I was doomed for the remaining repeats, as I've only ran one repeat that fast this spring, and it was on a super cool day.  Uff. I walked a lap, jogged a lap in between to try to cool off a bit, and then took off for my next one. I was hitting ~8:20+ for most of it, but kicked it in the third and fourth lap--8:15. Uff again. I wanted my final lap to be my fastest and probably ran that repeat the most consistent, in that I started at an 8:16 pace and pretty consistently held that to finish. My breathing was really labored that last half mile, so I cranked up my music so I didn't have to hear it.

Feels great to have knocked out my fastest set of mile repeats this year (and really for the last 2.5-3 years, probably) in some of the most difficult weather I've ran in for awhile! Give me a nice day, and I'll be dipping sub 8 for these guys (eeps! I remember that being REALLY HARD.)

Saturday I worked and it stormed all day.

Sunday I intended on doing my long run but it stormed all day with major flooding. My left hamstring was aching a little bit, but it may have been nature's way of forcing me to take a rest day.