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!

Tips for Running in the Heat + Humidity

Living in the Midwest, we get the best of both sets of horrific weather: the crazy winter weather with snow/ice/sleet and crazy below zero temperatures as well as sweltering heat and humidity. I would much prefer the insane cold than the sweltering heat, but in order for me to be in great shape for a cool fall/early winter race, I have to run through the insane heat of the summer. Sigh.

In the past, I've bitched and complained my way through summer training. Tons of walk breaks, skipped runs during the unfavorable temps, etc. etc. This year I'm embracing the summer heat, using the heat miles as mental training for hard races to go. I also think that running throughout the summer heat will make my heart even more chill and relaxed when it comes to cooler race mornings in the fall.

With that being said, it's still not easy to run through the summer heat and humidity, far from it. And after having tons and tons of runs ending with me waving the white flag, walking home, sitting on the side of the trail/sidewalk pouting, wishing for a meteor to strike me, here are some tips I have for making summer running not suck quite so much:

• Drink + carry all of the water. Now this should be obvious, but it never fails, I head out for that first blazing hot run of the spring/summer, and I don't bring my handheld because I'm only going 3 or 4 miles, and who needs water for a 3 or 4 miler? Well I do. Especially when it's 85-100 degrees. Even if I'm not running and I'm just looking out the window in that level of heat, I need to be hydrating! I also spend the day before long runs and workouts super hydrating. I've started tracking my hydration again, and I make damn sure on those days before that I'm hitting my goal and then some. I end up spending ALL DAY LONG in the bathroom, but whatever, it's necessary.

• Plan your route to refill water. Oh, another tip that involves water? Why not. YES it's that important. On a recent 10 mile long run, I drank 30 oz of water. I carry a 12 oz handheld water bottle, and filled it up once during the run, chugged half of it, and then filled it up the rest of the way. My run was 100% better after that point. None of this sip occasionally stuff. When it's hot, you need to stay ahead of the hydration, so drink frequently and refill often.
• Wear the lightest loose fitting clothing. My hot, HOT wardrobe is almost always the same: white hat, black shorts (to hide the significant ass/crotch sweat that will inevitably be there), and the lightest weight, lightest color tank that is clean for the day. I bought a purple tank from Nike a few years back, and it reminds me of the t-shirt that Kyle has had since he was a sophomore in high school. So worn down that it's threadbare and see through. Well that's how this tank top is, and it basically feels like you're not wearing a shirt, and that right there is pure bliss on a hot hot day. Or just shed the damn shirt (but plan to load up the sunscreen first, because there are parts of you that probably aren't used to being on display in the blazing sun for the run).
• Adjust your pace/goal. When I'm training, I don't have a goal per say for the pace we're shooting for on a long run day. My goal is to complete the miles with little to no walk breaks. I know a lot of people train with planned walk breaks and that works perfect for them, but for me, if I walk during my training runs, it gives my brain permission to walk in races when it gets hard. I always try to start hot long runs even more conservatively than normal, ignoring pace almost completely, only focusing on perceived effort via heart rate. I know that once my heart rate gets to a certain point, the only thing I can do is walk to get it to come down, so I'd much rather take it very easy so I can complete my goal of getting in the miles with little to no breaks in the running (water refill exceptions excluded).
• Wake up early. Barf. I know this is an unpopular one, at least for me. I hate getting up early to run. My stomach is always angry, and my legs feel so tired and old in the morning. Ugh, woe is me. BUT if I have a workout (workout=speed work or long run) you'd best believe I'm up as early as I can physically function to get it in. I do still think it's important to do some of your super easy/general aerobic paced runs in the insane heat so that you're not completely blind-sided if your race day is blazing hot (heaven help me if my goal race in Oct. or mid-November is in blazing heat, I will FREAK OUT!!!). It's already stressful on your body to run long or do a tempo run or speed session, so it's best to take out the extra variable of stress that is heat and/or humidity.

What tips am I missing? I used to be an ice-bather after these runs, but I've gotten wussy in my old age. :|

Race Report: Green Bay Half Marathon

If you follow me on twitter, you know that Green Bay race weekend was a great one.  Hard not to have a good time in Titletown!  All week long we heard about how hot it was going to be.  I waited until the day before the race to really decide my "game plan."  Jenn and I took off for a shake out run at about 11am on Saturday.  We had to stop and walk a couple of times because the heat+humidity+awesome cold she gave me (and still had herself) was making breathing impossible.  This should be fun.....

Race morning arrived and Jenn and I jogged the quarter of a mile to the race start.  Convenient hotel location FTW.  We found the super secret stadium bathrooms with no line, and were a little concerned when we realized we were sweating while peeing.  Uh.... it's already warm.  At this point, my A goal was a mid 1:50s.  I thought I could run about sub 2 pace for the first 7 miles, and perhaps kick it up to 8:30s the last 10k.  Jenn and I finally found each other at the start line after someone needed another emergency bathroom run, shocker, and set off!

I HEART YOU GREEN BAY!

From the get go Jenn took off.  She always starts aggressively, and I never start aggressively enough, so I guess this should've been a given, but I was intent on starting easy, because I knew the heat was going to add its own element of difficulty.  Seeing where my heart rate was at a 9 minute pace, made me realize that my A goal should probably be sub 2, if I was lucky.  I had fun weaving in and out of the Green Bay neighborhoods, chatting it up with the runners around me.  Around mile 1.5 I saw Jenn, and she said that sub 9 pace wasn't happening.  Truth, sistah.  I kept running and feeling good for the first few miles.  I made sure to grab a cup of water to drink and a cup of water to dump on my head to cool me off.  My super cute green sunglasses that I wore all through the Brookings half last weekend with no problem?  They sweated off my nose four and a half minutes in to the race.  So I got the treasure of carrying those along with me.

The first four miles were pretty fun because they were fairly shaded and, heck, we'd only been running for 4 miles.  But I saw more people walking at the 5k mark than I ever have in a race before.
1.  9:07
2.  9:07
3.  9:01
4.  9:11

I first realized that sub 2 probably wasn't likely when I hit the water stop after mile 4.  The crowds of runners were swarming the table.  The volunteers were frantically trying to fill more and more water for the runners.  I had to stop to get my place in line to grab some water.  New goal:  have fun!  I started to get roasty, and all of that shade that I swore was along the first 11 miles two years ago.... was gone.  I kept a pretty consistent 9:10-9:20 pace to the end (while running), but I started walking through the water stops to try to get my heart rate down a bit each mile.  Granted my pace was quite a bit slower than it was last weekend, my heart rate was just as high.  45 degrees, meet 80 degrees. :)
5.  9:38
6.  9:38
7.  9:49
8.  9:18 (clearly no water stop)

We went through some super cool neighborhoods and managed to find some hills (anything is a hill for this flatland girl) to give some variety.  The volunteers that were handing out cups of ice quickly became my new heroes.  Along with the dude who picked up my sunglasses when they fell.  And the folks who were outside with hoses, sprinklers, super soakers, etc.  In case you were curious where my extra .05 came from, I hit every shower/sprinkler/hose I could.

Normally when I run a race, if I see a race spectator or runner with Packers gear on, I'll yell out "go pack go!" when I see them, since it's fairly rare where I'm from (everyone is a Vikings fan, poor souls....) and I love the Green Bay race because EVERYONE is decked out.  Wheeeee!  Feels like I'm with family.

9.  9:34
10.  10:47 (bano break)

Sometime during mile ten I thought I needed to take a pit stop and some portapotties appeared.  I figured it was a sign.  I wasted about a minute there, which is pretty efficient imo, and was on my way. It started to get pretty brutal here.  Seems that the earlier miles were shaded compared to this.  Also the sun was up enough that we were running in to it for what seemed like long stretches.  During the final 4 miles, I actually walked 2x that weren't during the aid stations because I thought I was cooking from the outside in.  (How do you like your Jerbear?  Medium rare?)  I even walked a smidge during mile 13!  Seeing people on the side of the road with their eyes rolled back, and ice packs on their chest really freaked me out.....

I kept thinking that I wish we were running through Lambeau Field again, because that would get me to the finish line sooner.  I tried to pick up the pace the last 1/2 mile, but my legs weren't having it.  I finally found a "kick" of sorts with a quarter of a mile to go.

11. 9:59
12.  9:52
13.  9:53
.15 1:06 (6:37 pace, so yeah I guess I found a small kick...)

13.15 miles in 2:06:05 for a pace of 9:38.  Interestingly enough, my first full marathon time (and still PR) in Green Bay was the EXACT SAME PACE.  Actually a smidge faster at 4:12.

When I finished I was shocked at how full the medical tent was.  It was scary.  I scanned the crowds for Jenn, but didn't know if she had passed me while I was in the bathroom.  Finally I found her and we set out to find AR.  Shortly after our reunion they announced that the race was cancelled due to the heat and humidity.  I immediately started tearing up, because I felt so bad for everyone that had trained their butts off, not to get to finish.  But it was totally necessary.  If the medical tent was that packed at 2 hours, where you'd assume most half marathoners at that pace are reasonably fit, I can't imagine what the people that still had 2-4 hours to go were feeling.

I'll be back for 26.2 next year, and can't wait to run through Lambeau Field again.  Hopefully after another Green Bay Packers Super Bowl Win!

The Good News.... And the Bad News

I managed to have one of the suckiest weekends on record while having one of the greatest Sundays ever.  Impressed?  You should be.

The Good News:  I got to spend the day with my favorite little boy, Harrison.  Only two people assumed and commented on him as my son, or me as his mother.  I'm not surprised at all.  Oh hai mini me!

The Bad News:  More than ever I wish my bro and SIL lived closer than Texas.  :(

The Good News:  While at the science museum in the "fit center" I learned that I have only lost one inch off my vertical from high school.  Considering I was a high jumper and plyo fool back in the day I was legitimately impressed, especially for all the mileage pounding I do on these lil leggies.....

The Bad News:  I landed not-so-gracefully on one of my attempts and my knee hurts like a biatch.  :/  d-u-m-b!  That's me!

The Good News:  Harrison commented that he wants to be a runner and that he's FAST.  Warmed my heart a bit obviously.

The Bad News:  Apparently I'm not the type of aunt who'll let my nephew win in a foot race.  That'll just teach him to get faster right? ;)

The Good News:  After my match up, H took on some other little kids on the "track" in the fit center.  I'm proud to say he worked some 6 or 7 year old boy as well.
The Bad News:  There isn't any.  He's da bomb.


The Good News:  I attempted to get acclimated to the heat and humidity on Saturday.  I spent Friday night and part of Saturday morning hydrating.  I wore a flimsy tank and shorts.  I carried a water bottle.  I set out for my 9 miles at 4:30pm.

The Bad News:  I think I almost died.  My close-to-ten-minute pace was generating heart rate levels akin to what I was pulling on my 8 minute tempo run pace earlier in the week.  I felt like I was breathing in part water, and was gasping for air.  I took walk breaks.  I ended up turning around at mile 2.5 and calling it a day with 5 miles.  It was the least amount of fun I've had running since May 21st.

The Good News:  I got to spend Saturday evening with one of my favorite people, Molly. 
The Bad News:  She's only in the 'Dak for another day before she heads back out to San Diego.  Dearest lady friends, please all move to my city immediately.  I miss having great girlfriends to spend time with.  [insert sad face.]

The Good News:  I cleaned my apartment for the first time in.... a very. very. long time.  FYI I'm a messy chicka.

The Bad News:  My shoe shopping obsession came to light.


Happiest of happy birthday to one of my favorite runner girls, Susan!  I hope you have the greatest birthday and welcome to 27.  Can't wait to seeeeeeeeeeeeeee you in less than 4 months (no I don't have a paperchain countdown going... that'd be creepy........ :D)

Check out Erin and Lauren's sweet medal display giveaways! (I seriously want one of these SO BAD... hint hint... mother.... Xmas stocking stuffer?!?!?