Heat and Humidity

I have been truly spoiled by a very unusual St. Louis summer.  In late July, we enjoyed nearly two weeks of faux fall during which I ran in 60-degree weather, unheard of here in the steamy Midwest.  However, it appears that we've used up all of our beautiful weather, and we are now suffering through an excessive heat warning.  Issued in the middle of last week, the heat warning is due to the combination of high heat index (105-110) and high humidity (over 80%).  With overnight lows barely dipping to the mid-70s, the air in this city is thick, soggy, and suffocating.

We had a 7-miler on deck this past weekend in training for the Rock 'n Roll half.  Though we usually like to sleep in on the weekends and head out around 7:00, we reconsidered due to the heat.  We started around sunrise and got the first four miles in before the sun really started bearing down.  The last three, however, were pretty brutal.  I scanned every stretch of sidewalk for sprinklers and slowed down each time I found one so I could enjoy a brief reprieve from the heat.  After our run, we cooled down with a walk, searching for one last sprinkler to bring our blood pressure back onto the charts.  When we finally found one, we stood in it for several minutes, which surely caused the homeowners (our new favorite neighbors!) to question our sanity.

To stay hydrated during this hot streak, I've been drinking sole each morning.  This saltwater solution helps balance out electrolytes, which I surely need after sweating out buckets during each run.  It could all be in my head, but I think the sole has helped me stay energized and healthy while exercising in the heat.

Have you ever tried sole?  Do you have any other hot weather survival tips?

Back to Reality

After a week of vacation with my extended family, we are back home in steamy St. Louis and settling back into our routine.  We enjoyed seven days of sunshine, splashing in the pool, and playing on the beach.  The 12+ hours in the car each way I could live without, but it was all worth it for a break from the daily grind.

I had hoped to run two or three times while on the road, and I'm pleased to report that I worked in three vacation runs.  Before I left, I talked to a number of mother runners who raved about the beauty of a vacation run.  Having never run on vacation before, I nodded along and took their word for it.  Now that I've done it, I agree with those (ever so wise) ladies 100%!  There's something extra blissful about running in a new area, and I felt an added gratitude for being able to travel to a beautiful place and have the freedom to explore it on foot.  And running while watching the sunrise over the Gulf of Mexico?  Truly breathtaking and awe-inspiring.

My running routes were fairly limited, so I mostly ran out-and-back paths along a beachside highway.  At home I usually run loops, so it was fun to mix things up with the out-and-back routes.  I enjoyed looking at the beautiful beach houses, imagining what it would be like to call such a gorgeous place home.  I saw many people running along the packed sand of the beach, but I wasn't quite so adventurous.  I did, however, venture out to the beach at the end of my last run to get my beach running shoe selfie:

A beach shoe selfie!  Mission completion.

In addition to my three solo runs, I also logged some bonus miles with a few members of my family.  My husband, sister, and brother-in-law are hoping to run a 5k race this fall, so they're building up mileage in preparation.  The humid, muggy Gulf air was not easy on the lungs, but they did great, and I loved having some company at the end of my runs.  Post-run, we cooled off with a dip in our pool - a perfect way to bring the blood pressure down after a good workout.

While I loved vacation and the chance to run while traveling, I am very happy to be home.  Emily and I met up for our usual early morning run this morning, and my feet were glad to be back on our home turf.  Home sweet home :)

I found a little remnant of the beach on my running shoes today.

Vacation goals

These days, my head is a swirling jumble of reminders, to-do lists, and activities.  I'm trying to maintain a delicate balance between family, marriage, work, volunteer positions at church and school, friendships, my kids' blooming social calendars, and running.  Looking at that list, the rational side of my brain shouts at me to let something go.  Drop a commitment or two and feel liberated from the overburdened life.  But as I read through the list again and again, the only item I could realistically drop is running, and that isn't going to happen.  Running is the singular thing I do for myself most days (well, I shower and brush my teeth, too, but those are more for the greater good of those around me than for personal enjoyment).  Though it adds one more thing to my already full plate, running keeps me balanced and grounded and makes me better able to tackle the rest of the items on my docket.

Because running is not optional, I'm determined to log some miles while on vacation next week.  I'm looking forward to exploring a new area on foot - a statement I couldn't have made a month ago.  No longer burdened by new route phobia, I'm truly excited about running along unfamiliar terrain.  And the idea of cooling off in the pool post-run (and replenishing lost carbs with a beer or two) sounds absolutely delightful.  Perhaps I will give pool running another try, too.  While not my favorite form of cardio, it might be a fun way to change up my exercise habits and take advantage of vacation amenities not available to me at home.

Insert my sisters and me here.  Post-run recovery poolside; does life get any better?

I've never successfully run on vacation before, so this is a new challenge for me, but one that I look forward to tackling.  Are you a vacation runner?  What is your favorite aspect of running while on vacation?

July Goals

In the heat of the summer with vacation plans on deck, it seems wise to put a few goals into writing.  I need to keep running this month to stay sane, and posting my goals into the blogosphere will help me feel more accountable.  So here they are, my goals for the month of July:

1.  Run the Innsbrook Independence Day 10k.

I've wanted to run the Innsbrook 10k for a couple of years, but I've been very good at psyching myself out and avoiding the starting line.  This year, I'm going to push myself to make it happen.  I'm a little nervous about 6 miles of relentless hills, but the weather should be perfect this weekend, and I'm ready to push my comfort zone to give it a try.  No set time goal for the race.  I just want to finish it feeling strong and happy.

2.  Log at least 2 (but preferably 3) runs while on family vacation.

We leave for our usual beach vacation in a little over a week, and I've never successfully run on vacation.  I usually have the best intentions but then decide that my running gear hogs up too much precious cargo space.  I'd like to change that pattern this year.  I've checked out our rental location on Strava and planned a few possible running routes.  If I can get out the door 2 or 3 times during our 8-day trip, I will be satisfied.

Can't wait to take my own shoe selfie on the beach soon :)

3.  Take advantage of the long summer days by running at both sunrise and sunset one day.

The idea of a two-in-one running day is very exciting to me.  I've never logged multiple runs in a day, but for some reason, the idea is rather alluring.  During these super long summer days, I should be able to run my usual sunrise loop before the kids wake up and head back out for a sunset victory lap after I tuck them into bed for the night.  My husband will undoubtedly think I'm nuts.  He might be right...

4.  Start training for my fall half on July 28th.

I'll end the month by kicking off the training for the Rock 'n Roll St. Louis half marathon.  I'm still pondering options for our training plan, but I'm looking forward to the challenges and rewards of the training lifestyle.  In the meantime, however, I'll soak up the freedom of my current unstructured running days.

What about you: any specific running plans for the month of July?

New Routes and Silence

When my alarm sounded this morning, it felt a bit like a scene from Groundhog's Day.  Just as I did two weeks ago, I snoozed the alarm and told myself that I could run on the treadmill at naptime instead.  After the snooze, however, I felt a bit more coherent and remembered how dreadful that treadmill run was.  I survived, but I could live without repeating it again for a while.

So I dragged my tush out of bed and fumbled into my running clothes.  As I stepped out the door, the just-rained humid air filled my lungs, and I started wishing I was back in bed.  Setting low expectations for the run, I headed out and decided to cobble together a new-to-me route through St. Louis Hills and Southampton.  Ever since my run commute earlier this month, I've felt braver about trying out new running routes.  Last week, Emily and I created a new route on the fly, and last weekend, I ran to a new park.  All on familiar roads that I know very well, but ones that until recently, I felt unable to run upon.  The new route was a nice change of pace and gave me some extra pep in my step.

In addition to finding new routes, I've also been running without music lately.  It started as an accident rather than as a conscious decision.  With so many of my runs with Emily, I'm out of the habit of taking along headphones.  Now that I've logged a few non-music runs, however, I really kind of like it.  Sometimes it feels challenging to continue moving forward without the distraction of music or a podcast, but I enjoy the peace and quiet and the opportunity to listen to my own thoughts.  Though they are not always pretty, the miles with just me and the open road feel somewhat luxurious.  So much of my life is filled with chatter and noise, I appreciate the chance to unplug and revel in silence.

Such a wise man, that Thomas Merton.
A fragmented existence might be the kindest way to describe my life these days.

Two Runs to Remember

I've drafted many posts over the past week but have yet to publish anything.  I'm feeling out of my groove, in both running and regular life, and though drafting posts about it has been useful, I've been too chicken to actually publish the raw, inner workings of my brain.  So today I try, yet again, to write something I'm willing to publish.

A terrible morning run on Saturday spiraled into a terrible mood for the remainder of the day.  I couldn't find my rhythm throughout the run.  It was hot and humid.  The path I was running was crowded.  My shoes weren't laced properly.  My phone rang multiple times.  I stopped to walk more times than I care to remember.  I was only trying to pound out 3-ish miles, but every step was torture, and I felt absolutely defeated by the time I returned to my front door.

There are good days and bad days in all of life.  Why should running be any different?  But it seems particularly frustrating to have a bad run since my run is my "me" time, my chance to regroup so that I can conquer the rest of the day's tasks.  When the run is sour, I come home crabby, frustrated with my body and my brain, and unfortunately, my family gets caught in the crossfire.

Fast forward (past the crabbing and the apologies) to Monday: I returned to the road and was rewarded with a beautiful run.  It was insanely humid (my palms were slick the entire run just from the moisture in the air!), but oddly, that did not faze me at all.  I quickly found my rhythm and ended up running further than I had planned simply because I was having fun.  My brain was quiet, my body in sync, and all felt right with the world.

The difference between the two runs was incredible.  While nothing felt right on Saturday, the world was my oyster on Monday.  It serves as a good reminder that not every run will be great, but I can appreciate the good runs because I survived the bad ones.  Yet another way that running is a perfect metaphor for life...

Dealing with Frustration

For medical reasons, I'm currently a sidelined runner.  I haven't run in a week, and I'm not sure if it will be days, weeks, or months until I can run again.  I'm trying to exercise patience with the situation, though that is easier said than done.

Our city's heat wave finally broke today (with a high only in the low 90s), which really had me itching for a run.  As I took care of a few errands this evening, it looked to me like the entire city was out running while I sat idly by.  I passed my usual routes and felt a pang of envy for those out running on my favorite stretches of sidewalk.

However, I'm trying to keep this hiatus in perspective.  I don't necessarily have to run today; I want to be a lifelong runner.  If not running right now means that I can continue to run for years to come, then my current break from running is well worthwhile.  I'm allowing myself this virtual pity party, but I need to accept this as a bump in the road and move on with life.  There will be more runs for me in the future when my body is ready to accept them.  In the meantime, I need to focus on all of the good things in my life and know that my return to running will be so much sweeter because of this break.  Absence makes the (already fond) heart grow fonder.

A good reminder for me as I wait out this period of unknown.

Slogging through the Humidity

As we're entering our sixth consecutive day of 100+ degree temperatures, an outdoor run at any time of day seems like an arduous task.  I've done a number of treadmill runs during this hot streak, but this morning, I set off early for an outdoor run.  Though the temperature was wonderful (low 70s), the humidity and air quality were abysmal.  My lungs felt like they could never quite fill up, and the air felt thick and heavy.

Today's run felt as humid as this, though of course my landlocked city does not include a gorgeous beach view.  All the humidity; none of the views.

I told myself that my pace didn't matter; I just had to go out and do something for 30 minutes.  It's difficult for my Type A brain to accept such an assignment, but I did make a concerted effort to take it easy.  And if my heart rate monitor's data is trustworthy, I did relax my effort a bit.  Both my maximum and my average heart rates were slightly lower than they were on my recent treadmill runs.

I'm hoping for a break in the heat to clear out the humidity and refresh the air supply.  Though in July in St. Louis, this hope is probably more of a pipe dream...

Why I Run: To Recenter Myself

I run to recenter and focus myself. With temperatures at 106 degrees for the second day in a row, the little people in my house (and the taller ones, too) are a bit cranky. We've played outside in the mornings, but they are feeling cooped up in the house, and it seems we all have short fuses lately. After a particularly rocky morning, I knew I needed to do something to regroup during naptime. Sitting on the couch with a pint of ice cream sounded appealing, but I knew that would leave me feeling frustrated with myself. A run, on the other hand, could help me regain balance and feel focused.

It's summer in St. Louis: hot, humid, and just getting warmed up.

After singing the requisite naptime songs, I sought the solace of my basement treadmill. I always prefer running outside to running on the treadmill, but on blisteringly hot days like today (or blustery days in the winter), I'm grateful that I have an indoor option. I set low expectations for today's run. I just wanted to run for 30 minutes to get my heart rate up and burn off the frustration of dealing with overheated and overtired toddlers. I surprised myself by setting a PR for the treadmill course I selected, and according to my heart rate monitor, I logged a higher maximum and average heart rate than I've measured on my outdoor runs lately.

Now, after a shower and some stretches, I'm feeling relaxed, rejuvenated, and ready to face the rest of my day. And the icing on the cake? There's still 40 minutes left of naptime ;)