So. Just one week after my sweltering Saturday run where I had to stop and walk every 5-10 minutes, the morning came and went with me asleep and I missed my opportunity to beat the heat of an afternoon run.
I set out in a tank top and shorts at noon fearing a repeat of last week's heat exhaustion and tried running this Saturday.
Except surprisingly, my fears came to no end. The only time I stopped running was to remove a leaf that caught onto my sock and was bugging the back of my ankle. The rest of the run was hot but with an occasional wind gust that I think made all the difference.
But that might not always work. So when I got home, I found my first issue of Runner's World sitting on the coffee table - which is a really really good thing to come home to after a run.
I found some suggestions to keep hot runs less excruciating:
1) Put ice cubes on a sponge under a baseball or other kind of hat to wear before going running. The ice will trickle down and cool you off
2) Similar idea but different execution: Soak a baseball cap in water and put it in the freezer the night before going running to wear.
3) This is just plain obvious: stay well hydrated
4) My personal favorite: Find sprinklers during your run and DON'T miss them :)
Let me know if any of them work for you!
Saturday, July 16, 2011
Saturday, July 9, 2011
Running/collapsing in the heat
Everyone always looks forward to summer for their best runs. No snow, no cold weather and no potential pneumonia.
Don't get me wrong, I don't like slipping on snow when I'm supposed to be running on pavement any more than the next person. But I can wrap up in spandex layers to stay warm. There's only so far I can strip down in the heat before I start catching some stares...
Today barely hit 90 degrees, but in a tank top and shorts, I still could barely finish my 6-mile run. As it is, I took a slight short cut to skip one of the hills up A Street and 1st Avenue. I walked at least a third of the run because the heat was just too much to handle.
To be fair, it was partly my fault. Smart people go running in the morning or evening when the heat is less severe. But not me. My royal genius self decided that 1pm (hottest part of the afternoon) would be a great time to run and it would help increase my tan. Neither of those were great ideas.
There was a point where I nearly skipped the Bonneville Blvd loop part of my run and turned back. A bicyclist witnessed my near breakdown as I turned around twice during my indecision. I battled with the idea of just running 4 miles and calling it good.
In the end, I ran the rest of the loop and finished 6 miles, only skipping one hill out of sheer heat exhaustion.
It would be nice to be a guy and run shirtless, but I have a hunch that wouldn't work too well. For multiple reasons.
My second option is to get up at 6am to go running. Screw that, where's my gym membership card again...?
Don't get me wrong, I don't like slipping on snow when I'm supposed to be running on pavement any more than the next person. But I can wrap up in spandex layers to stay warm. There's only so far I can strip down in the heat before I start catching some stares...
Today barely hit 90 degrees, but in a tank top and shorts, I still could barely finish my 6-mile run. As it is, I took a slight short cut to skip one of the hills up A Street and 1st Avenue. I walked at least a third of the run because the heat was just too much to handle.
To be fair, it was partly my fault. Smart people go running in the morning or evening when the heat is less severe. But not me. My royal genius self decided that 1pm (hottest part of the afternoon) would be a great time to run and it would help increase my tan. Neither of those were great ideas.
There was a point where I nearly skipped the Bonneville Blvd loop part of my run and turned back. A bicyclist witnessed my near breakdown as I turned around twice during my indecision. I battled with the idea of just running 4 miles and calling it good.
In the end, I ran the rest of the loop and finished 6 miles, only skipping one hill out of sheer heat exhaustion.
It would be nice to be a guy and run shirtless, but I have a hunch that wouldn't work too well. For multiple reasons.
My second option is to get up at 6am to go running. Screw that, where's my gym membership card again...?
Saturday, April 23, 2011
Post Half Marathon Run
It took me 6 days before I could bring myself to run again.
The half marathon was last Saturday but for some reason I simply didn't want to run. It was Friday before I finally told my legs there had been enough dilly dallying.
I managed to hit the gym for an hour Monday before my dearest friend Ash bo Bash helped me move box after box after box (plus a shelf and TV) over to my new living quarters. By the end of that day, I was so exhausted/dehydrated, I didn't even want to move.
For the rest of the week, I was lazy, sluggish and definitely didn't keep an eye on my diet. Except to watch it fly away. Grilled cheese sandwiches have never been considered healthy. Neither have donuts unfortunately...
Friday came and I was finally ready to hit the pavement with my running shoes securely tied on my feet. I must have forgotten to tell my legs I was ready because they certainly weren't. Just 1 mile in the run and my calves were tightening badly - and that was in spite of dutifully stretching beforehand.
Twice on that 6.2 mile run my calves hurt too much to keep up a pace and I had to walk for a block - usually until I saw another runner and felt I had to push through it or shame myself.
I still don't know if that run was so difficult because I hadn't run all week, or because running 13.1 miles and moving/unpacking most of the week took it out of me. Whatever the reason, I refuse to spend the next beautiful months of summer walking through the Avenues instead of running those hilly streets. I REFUSE.
Hopefully my calves won't put up too much resistance...
The half marathon was last Saturday but for some reason I simply didn't want to run. It was Friday before I finally told my legs there had been enough dilly dallying.
I managed to hit the gym for an hour Monday before my dearest friend Ash bo Bash helped me move box after box after box (plus a shelf and TV) over to my new living quarters. By the end of that day, I was so exhausted/dehydrated, I didn't even want to move.
For the rest of the week, I was lazy, sluggish and definitely didn't keep an eye on my diet. Except to watch it fly away. Grilled cheese sandwiches have never been considered healthy. Neither have donuts unfortunately...
Friday came and I was finally ready to hit the pavement with my running shoes securely tied on my feet. I must have forgotten to tell my legs I was ready because they certainly weren't. Just 1 mile in the run and my calves were tightening badly - and that was in spite of dutifully stretching beforehand.
Twice on that 6.2 mile run my calves hurt too much to keep up a pace and I had to walk for a block - usually until I saw another runner and felt I had to push through it or shame myself.
I still don't know if that run was so difficult because I hadn't run all week, or because running 13.1 miles and moving/unpacking most of the week took it out of me. Whatever the reason, I refuse to spend the next beautiful months of summer walking through the Avenues instead of running those hilly streets. I REFUSE.
Hopefully my calves won't put up too much resistance...
Sunday, April 17, 2011
13.1 miles later... My legs hate me...
The first race of 2011 for me, and my first half-marathon since 2005, was the Salt Lake City Half Marathon.
I was up at 5:30am and out the door by 6am to take a Trax train up to the University of Utah Olympic Legacy Bridge. The run - aka 13.1 miles of hell - started at 7am. My brain wasn't even awake yet when the buzzer went off and thousands of runners started walking. There was no room to run til we all crossed the starting line.
The Trax train was even packed heading up there. Several of my coworkers who also decided to run the half, full marathon or 5k were late because of the 11,000 participants heading up to the starting line for the race.
I started out a little sore but steady as the route traveled down Foothill Blvd to 2300 East before hitting 2100 South and Sugarhouse. That's where the marathoners split off from the half marathon runners.
We took a different course down 1700 East before reaching Liberty Park at Mile 9. That's where my feet started feeling some pain unfortunately. I kept picking up the pace a few times and setting goals of reaching people ahead of me as motivation.
Ironically enough, I wasn't the only one with that idea. At Mile 11, two girls caught up to me and in the midst of panting and huffing, said I was their inspiration! They had been following me for a while and using me as a goal to reach ha ha.
I decided to stick with them til the end since I had been jamming out to my music on the run and missed talking to people. Albeit while panting.
The last 2 miles was pretty easy and we kept each other motivated til the end. I finished with a time of 2 hours, 15 minutes - happy just because I hadn't stopped running the entire time. Next time I hope to pick up my pace and finish faster!
And at the end, I found this Spartan from Halo Reach (I think) - Not sure why he was there but I was happy to get my picture with him :D
I was up at 5:30am and out the door by 6am to take a Trax train up to the University of Utah Olympic Legacy Bridge. The run - aka 13.1 miles of hell - started at 7am. My brain wasn't even awake yet when the buzzer went off and thousands of runners started walking. There was no room to run til we all crossed the starting line.
 | ||
| The packed Trax train on the way to the starting line |
I started out a little sore but steady as the route traveled down Foothill Blvd to 2300 East before hitting 2100 South and Sugarhouse. That's where the marathoners split off from the half marathon runners.
We took a different course down 1700 East before reaching Liberty Park at Mile 9. That's where my feet started feeling some pain unfortunately. I kept picking up the pace a few times and setting goals of reaching people ahead of me as motivation.
Ironically enough, I wasn't the only one with that idea. At Mile 11, two girls caught up to me and in the midst of panting and huffing, said I was their inspiration! They had been following me for a while and using me as a goal to reach ha ha.
I decided to stick with them til the end since I had been jamming out to my music on the run and missed talking to people. Albeit while panting.
 | |
| Me and a Spartan at the end |
And at the end, I found this Spartan from Halo Reach (I think) - Not sure why he was there but I was happy to get my picture with him :D
Saturday, April 9, 2011
What is running without Music?
I remember the days when I would go running with nothing but the sounds of the wind, traffic and occasional critter rustling past as I traversed roads in Layton and Clearfield.
But only barely... Nowadays, even the thought of going running without music has me untying my running shoes.
I don't know what happened. Just last Tuesday I realized how much I have come to rely on music when I run. I was stretching out on the floor of my room, feeling the typical pain of my legs that indicates I shouldn't wear heels ever again, when I suddenly remembered that I'd left my phone in Roy (30 miles north of Salt Lake City).
Ever since I bought the MyTouch 4g cell phone and learned how to download music onto it, it has been my constant running companion. Not only does it let me know when someone is trying to call - not that I ever answer - but it plays song after song into my distracted mind. I've even started gauging how fast/slow I'm running that day based on how far I've gone when a certain song (ones by Flogging Molly especially) starts to play.
So the prospect of going running without my phone had me contemplating a trip to the gym, or extra sleep, as an alternative to a music-free jog.
Thankfully I had an old 8gb Ipod just waiting to be charged that I was able to use for the run.
So I went on my typical 6.2 mile run, contemplating how much I've come to rely on technology. I won't go to the gym without a book or movie or tv show downloaded on my phone that I can use as a distraction to the monotony that 30 minutes on an elliptical machine and 30 minutes on a bike brings.
Maybe one of these days I'll be able to run without music again. But I have no idea why I would want that...
But only barely... Nowadays, even the thought of going running without music has me untying my running shoes.
I don't know what happened. Just last Tuesday I realized how much I have come to rely on music when I run. I was stretching out on the floor of my room, feeling the typical pain of my legs that indicates I shouldn't wear heels ever again, when I suddenly remembered that I'd left my phone in Roy (30 miles north of Salt Lake City).
Ever since I bought the MyTouch 4g cell phone and learned how to download music onto it, it has been my constant running companion. Not only does it let me know when someone is trying to call - not that I ever answer - but it plays song after song into my distracted mind. I've even started gauging how fast/slow I'm running that day based on how far I've gone when a certain song (ones by Flogging Molly especially) starts to play.
So the prospect of going running without my phone had me contemplating a trip to the gym, or extra sleep, as an alternative to a music-free jog.
Thankfully I had an old 8gb Ipod just waiting to be charged that I was able to use for the run.
So I went on my typical 6.2 mile run, contemplating how much I've come to rely on technology. I won't go to the gym without a book or movie or tv show downloaded on my phone that I can use as a distraction to the monotony that 30 minutes on an elliptical machine and 30 minutes on a bike brings.
Maybe one of these days I'll be able to run without music again. But I have no idea why I would want that...
Sunday, April 3, 2011
The Beginning
I don't know if I'd call it the beginning.
Exercise. Diet. Attitude. Activity. In my opinion - those are the things that make up a healthy lifestyle.
Since 2004, I've been a bit of a piggie. There are days when I'll run for an hour and feel amazing about my body. I would think to myself, this is the start of me getting back into shape. By the next day, the little piggie inside me would gobble up a quarter gallon of ice cream in one setting, or eat half a large pizza (or more, I can't bring myself to admit to more....), or even huge vat of Macaroni & Cheese would suddenly vanish from my cupboards with the only indication it used to exist being the now dirty pot with cheesy noodle residue.
I've used every excuse in the book. I have a test in the morning. I have to study. I have work. I promised a friend I'd go out with him/her.
But now school is over. I'm working a steady job and life is as scrambled as ever when it comes to finances, the abhorrent "dating" word and what next I want to do in my life. But enough is enough.
I can't fix my finances overnight. And dating - let's just admit that looking for love is an idiotic move and call it good. If it happens to find me, well that's nice and unexpected and maybe I'll consider opening my door.
Until then however, I'm going to fix the one thing I actually have some control over. My health.
If cancer (God forbid) decides to strike me, I can't really do too much to control that. But I can control what I eat, how much I eat, how I exercise and how often I hit up the gym or go running.
This blog will be my documentation - hopefully accurate - into my attempt at starting a healthy lifestyle.
I've already started, so now I just need to continue. This last week:
March 28 - Gym: 1 hour
March 29 - Running: 6.2 miles
March 30 - Gym: 1 hour
March 31 - Running: 6.2 miles
April 1 - Horrible date at 6pm that prevented my workout. Unless you count batting an idiotic date away from his stupid & fast advances. No! You can't touch me there! Seriously?!
April 2 - Running 6.2 miles - Legs want to kill me now
Follow this blog and I promise to document my attempt at getting into shape through a mixture of healthy eating and meticulous exercise. Ay yi yi....
Exercise. Diet. Attitude. Activity. In my opinion - those are the things that make up a healthy lifestyle.
Since 2004, I've been a bit of a piggie. There are days when I'll run for an hour and feel amazing about my body. I would think to myself, this is the start of me getting back into shape. By the next day, the little piggie inside me would gobble up a quarter gallon of ice cream in one setting, or eat half a large pizza (or more, I can't bring myself to admit to more....), or even huge vat of Macaroni & Cheese would suddenly vanish from my cupboards with the only indication it used to exist being the now dirty pot with cheesy noodle residue.
I've used every excuse in the book. I have a test in the morning. I have to study. I have work. I promised a friend I'd go out with him/her.
But now school is over. I'm working a steady job and life is as scrambled as ever when it comes to finances, the abhorrent "dating" word and what next I want to do in my life. But enough is enough.
I can't fix my finances overnight. And dating - let's just admit that looking for love is an idiotic move and call it good. If it happens to find me, well that's nice and unexpected and maybe I'll consider opening my door.
Until then however, I'm going to fix the one thing I actually have some control over. My health.
If cancer (God forbid) decides to strike me, I can't really do too much to control that. But I can control what I eat, how much I eat, how I exercise and how often I hit up the gym or go running.
This blog will be my documentation - hopefully accurate - into my attempt at starting a healthy lifestyle.
I've already started, so now I just need to continue. This last week:
March 28 - Gym: 1 hour
March 29 - Running: 6.2 miles
March 30 - Gym: 1 hour
March 31 - Running: 6.2 miles
April 1 - Horrible date at 6pm that prevented my workout. Unless you count batting an idiotic date away from his stupid & fast advances. No! You can't touch me there! Seriously?!
April 2 - Running 6.2 miles - Legs want to kill me now
Follow this blog and I promise to document my attempt at getting into shape through a mixture of healthy eating and meticulous exercise. Ay yi yi....
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