You would think, given the barely perceptible differences in Florida's seasons, that acclimating to summer running weather wouldn't be so difficult. You'd be wrong. In May, mornings and evenings are still comfortably in the 70s with reasonable humidity. Then June rolls around and suddenly it's in the 90s before sunrise and the humidity is firmly in the instant-sweat-inducing range all. day. long.
My two summer 5k races were humbling and a necessary reminder that Florida summer is brutal and that whole "14-days-to-acclimate" thing is very real. The good news is that now, at the start of July, I think my body is finally getting it together. The key has been consistency. I'm running every-other-day like clockwork, except for weekends; on days when my evening schedule looks weird, I've been good about going to the gym first thing in the morning so my run gets done. I'm hydrating a lot, which is easier to do at home than at work. And I've been very conscious of my eating habits, which has re-energized me something fierce.
Basically, I'm using summer break to get myself back in order and back on schedule, and it seems to be working. I've been mostly running 2 or 2.5 miles when running outdoors, but I've been able to keep to my usual 3-4 miles at the gym quite easily. This tells me my struggles really are about the weather and not my basic level of fitness.
I don't think I've used the gym this much since...ever.
On Monday I ran three on the golf course and felt better than I've felt in weeks. Wednesday I ran four in my favorite neighborhood and didn't want to die.
The best part of summer running has been jumping in the pool. I'm so glad it's finally back in usable shape!
I have to admit, for awhile there I was feeling pretty defeatist about running. I had forgotten how hard it is to breathe and move and just exist in this heat. I'm glad to see it turning around. I don't have any desire to race this summer. I have my eye on a November half marathon relay Matt has agreed to run with me (more on that at a later date) but there really aren't any fall races I'm interested in yet, either. For now, my goal has really been to keep up this consistency and when a race piques my interest, I'll be ready to jump into training. ABK
This summer, we don't have a big trip planned. Unlike last year, when Scott and Robby's wedding took us to the PNW, we didn't have a big excuse to travel but we did have some reasons to stay local.
The biggest reason is my sister's wedding this summer, but that'll be a post for a different time.
Our first "local" adventure for the summer was five hours away. Sometime in the spring, a friend alerted me that one of my all-time favorite bands, The National, would be touring in St. Augustine. This is about a five hour trip for us, but Matt and I literally never go to concerts (I think the last one I went to was in 2006?) and we have friends up that way, so it felt like it had to happen.
I eventually was able to twist Matt's arm and we booked the tickets and sprang for a nice hotel. The concert was on a Monday. We drove up to Sarasota Friday to see our dads for Father's Day, then left early Saturday morning to St. Augustine.
The first part of the weekend we dedicated to seeing Mark and Shane. Mark's entire family was at their beach house for Father's Day/Mark's birthday, so it was a boisterous, fun time. We're talking loads of little kiddos and the best Italian/Argentinian hospitality.
I managed a run on Sunday morning; despite living in Florida, I've never actually run on the beach before. I always run along it on pavement. I decided, though, to give beach running a try, as the sand seemed pretty packed and the sunrise was unbeatable over the ocean. I will say it was a lot tougher than I expected, but I enjoyed it a lot!
Matt also got some surfing in, which he can't usually do on our coast because the Gulf has smaller waves than the Atlantic.
After a huge family-style dinner and birthday celebration, we headed out to our hotel. Here's a video of Mark's incredibly dangerous and amazing birthday candle:
Monday, we spent the day walking around the Old Town part of St. Augustine. The city is the oldest continuously inhabited European-established city in the US. The history is pretty interesting (the museums don't sugarcoat the treatment of the Timucua by the Spanish colonists) and the atmosphere and architecture are beautiful. St. Augustine is also home to the country's oldest still-standing wooden school house, which I always think is some fun trivia.
At the Castillo de San Marcos, the oldest & largest masonry fort in the US.
After touring around, we got ready for the concert, grabbed some dinner, and headed to the St. Augustine Amphitheatre. We had plenty of time to find our seats and get comfortable before Courtney Barnett opened. Matt and I really like her music, and I have to say I was blown away by her live performance. I hadn't even realized she was opening until the day before, so it was a treat to see her!
Courtney Barnett! She played for about 45 minutes.
The rest of the concert was incredible. The National is one of those bands that gets to the heart of human nature through both their sound and lyrics. Matt Berninger (the lead singer) came out into the audience a few times, climbing pretty far up into the stands. I didn't get very many photos because I was trying to just enjoy myself and take it all in; I pretty much took one when they first came out and then a couple little videos.
The National takes the stage!
Although they didn't play Matt's favorite song of theirs, they did play quite a few of mine, and I admit I teared up during Bloodbuzz Ohio.
For the last song of their encore, Vanderlyle Crybaby Geeks, they played the instrumental while the audience sang, urged on by Berninger. It was so, so beautiful.
I don't know why we don't attend more concerts. Hearing songs I love as they are filled with raw, pure energy straight from the band directly to my ears? What's better? And there is just nothing quite like singing your heart out with the band to music that means something to you...surrounded by strangers also singing their hearts out.
I am hoping to make concerts a more frequent thing, because it was 100% worth the trip and an experience I'll remember forever.
I am not going to complain about going back to work. After all, I got a real summer this year, with actual time off and travel to boot. Yes, going back to work is tough, but I'm happy to be back and I'm excited for this year. So, no complaining.
But am I allowed to comment on how stressful this part of the school year is? And how absolutely bone-tired my body and mind are at the end of the day?
Sometimes I think about how hard coming back feels for me and I can understand why students are basically barely-animated blobs when they return each year. Time off gets you into a different set of habits, and you're in them just long enough to start to feel used to having an open schedule, and then school starts again.
Right now, I am struggling to run. I'm exhausted. It's hot. (Like 100 degrees every day kind of hot.) After a day of work, I want to come home and relax, and by the time it's "cool enough" to run (after sunset, usually, and then we're still talking usual Florida summer temps) I've lost the will to move.
Honestly, it's absurd to expect people to go outside in this.
I am mostly writing this post to pry myself out of my chair. I know that once I get into the swing of things, running after work will be a vital part of getting through the school year. I actually keep a better running schedule during the year than over the summer because my schedule is more stable...and I can consistently remember what day of the week it is.
It's getting back into the habit that's been proving difficult.
I am naturally a lazy person. I had hoped going through compartment syndrome and recovery would inoculate me against my natural sloth-like state, but apparently not. Getting out the door isn't much easier than it ever was.
Truer words were never written.
On top of that, because I'm not training for anything, there's nothing to hold me accountable to any mileage. Not beyond my own self-recrimination, anyway.
When I run, I still am filled with joy and a feeling of completion I can't articulate. It's getting started that's tripping me up.
Running is still the only time I truly feel unencumbered. The heat, though, certainly cumbers me.
Of course, the bottom line is that I just have to shut up and run, shut up and run, shut up and run until it gets easier. So that's what I'm going to do. I'm going to hit publish on this post and get out the door. (I'll let you know if it works.)
I actually ran four times in the last seven days! That means I've hit another post-surgery milestone - the highest weekly mileage I've seen in over a year!
Sunday, Elizabeth and I ran an easy 2.5 miles around the golf course. I was thinking about how nice it felt to have a quality running week under my belt. Summertime is always weird for running schedules - I'm rarely training for anything and I can't keep track of the days of the week, so my consistency suffers. This past week, I tried to fix that by running every-other-day, and that really seemed to work.
Anyway, as we finished the run and I was basking in my accomplishment, I began to wonder if it's time for me to start running with more purpose. Obviously I know my body is ready for it, and I'm actually surprised how soon it feels that way.
I couldn't resist.
I know it's been a long time since surgery and even longer since I had to stop running entirely due to my calves, but in the grand scheme of things, I've bounced back really quickly.
Part of me is loving the freedom of running when I feel like it without any prescribed runs. I'm not craving speedwork or consistent long runs or anything like that. I feel much like I did when I very first started running, when every run was a victory and I didn't need bells and whistles (or goals) to make running worth it.
Still just overjoyed to be out there.
Another part of me is frustrated with this sort of plateau I've let myself settle on. I know I can be ratcheting up the intensity of my runs and building in some bridges, speed work, and long runs. I have a desire to get back to where I was before compartment syndrome interrupted my life. I want to eventually exceed where I was. That means I can't let myself just do whatever for the foreseeable future.
Can I?
I wrote awhile ago about starting long runs again this summer, and that's still something I want to do, but it also doesn't feel urgent. I have been building mileage, but I haven't been moved to run a consistent long run each week.
I have gotten up to 5 miles, though, and that feels long to me!
Basically I am stuck in two states of mind right now. I think the disconnect stems from the season. I really don't like training during summertime - there are too many interruptions, the weather stinks, and my sleeping schedule is all over the place. Maybe that's the bottomline, then, and the solution:
I am excited to have something to train for and to have a more structured running schedule...in the fall.
I officially go back to work July 27th to start training our new teachers, so summer is basically over for me. It's been a good one. Our travel plans fell through and my leg debacle caused some stress, but mostly I really enjoyed my time off.
In June we had a week straight of heavy rain, but I was able to take advantage of the few days of sun and enjoy our backyard.
I took time off from working out to catch up on reading and writing for fun. It felt so good to be a total hermit and avoid socializing for a couple weeks.
We went up to Sarasota for Father's Day and Matt taught my family how to use his One Wheel. I always love it when all of us are able to get together, because it usually only happens at Thanksgiving.
This video of my mom on the One Wheel always cracks me up. She did a great job! My brother was so nervous; he really didn't want her on there.
Although we didn't get to New York this summer, as was our original plan, this past weekend Matt and I made a weekend trip up to Mark's family beach house in St. Augustine to see a handful of our college friends; it's always a treat to see them and catch up.
Sean always cooks for us when we do these trips, and this year he made sure everything was totally gluten free!
In big workout news, I finally joined a gym. Planet Fitness totally got me with their $1 signup special. After doing the math for the yearly cost, I decided it was worth the membership, especially if it means I'll have some accountability for going. I also talked Elizabeth into joining! I just feel like I need more beyond our classroom workouts this year.
I was brave and went by myself the first day I joined!
The gym is a half mile from my house, so I can run there, which is a major plus. And when my runs get rained out now, I'm a two-minute drive away from a treadmill! No more excuses!
Although I worked a little here and there over summer, it definitely felt like a long enough break. I am excited and ready to head back to work!
Did you go anywhere this summer? How do you most like to spend your downtime? ABK
This past spring, I dedicated myself to keeping my training up because usually, I start to slack off around April and May. Warmer weather and the intensity of the end of the school year takes a lot out of me, and I start to slide.
Comparing my spring/summer mileage from 2015 and 2016 really puts into perspective how hard I worked to keep my fitness up this summer.
But this year, I wanted to keep my fitness level up so summer running wouldn't be as hard. I was more consistent than I've ever been! So why has running seemed so hard?
That's right; I'm not crazy. We've actually had a more brutally hot summer this year than ever before, and our winter last year was sadly mild and very short. I don't think the temperatures dropped into the 40s even once.
I'm not going to preach about global warming here, although I think it's absolutely real and absolutely accelerated by human impact. No, instead I just want to take a moment to bask in the fact that I wasn't a whiny baby for nothing this summer, and neither were you guys.
But let's take a minute to acknowledge that global warming is freaking bad and we should all be concerned about it for more reasons than just the effect it has on the quality of our runs.
The heat has been real and its effects can be dangerous. It impacts our breathing, our stamina, our heart rate, the rate of sweat evaporation (when we're dealing with humidity), and our recovery. The mild winter meant many allergens never completely disappeared, so allergy season was longer and nastier this spring, too, causing those of us with asthma and allergies to suffer more than usual.
So if you've been feeling less than peppy on your runs lately, know that your complaints are legitimate and your effort will pay off when it cools down again!...If you're lucky enough to live somewhere that cools down.
Because now I have to cross my fingers and hope it ever really does cool down, because Florida is starting to look like maybe we won't have an actual winter again for a long time.
Have you depended on the treadmill due to heat this summer?
Summer running:
You know what's fun about summer running? That moment when you realize, halfway into the hottest month of the year, that you're finally acclimating! (Can you ever say, "I've acclimated" or is it an ongoing process with no definitive end?)
This weekend, I woke up Sunday at 6am and checked the weather: 79 degrees with 75% humidity. I contemplated skipping the run - 79F that early just seemed SO painful. But when I stepped outside, I was like, "Oh, this isn't so bad at all!"
Feeling strong and sweaty post-run!
And then I commenced to run at a fairly speedy pace without feeling like I was putting in too much effort or really huffing and puffing. I hardly felt I was sweating or working hard at all!
Sunday's splits.
Of course, after the run I realized I was completely soaked, but I felt totally great. I guess maybe I'm finally acclimated in a way I never have been before, because I've never experienced this level of comfort on outdoor runs in the height of summer.
Shoes:
I finally found them!
Soooo preeeeetty! They're a new color scheme for me, and I'm loving it!
Friday and Sunday's runs were both in my new shoes, and they are absolutely the ones I'm keeping. Some shoes I tried were automatic no's - like the Saucony Hurricane (which I wanted to love but knew the moment I put it on that it wasn't for me) - and some I vacillated between yes and no. But these Brooks Ravenna? Within minutes of my first run, I could tell a difference in the feel and feedback of the shoe, and yet it felt like they weren't even there.
They just felt like I didn't need to think about them at all. I could put them on and forget about them, which is exactly what I've been looking for.
Now, after months of stress and searching for new shoes, I'm almost glad for the changes in the Kayano because the Ravenna are so much more what I've been looking for - springier, less bulky, and lighter-feeling. (Although they're not light, they're 1.2oz lighter than the Kayano.) I may never have tried them out if not for the awful updates on the Kayano!
I think going with the "energize" option (as opposed to "cushion") was also exactly right for where my running is these days. I ended up ordering both the Transcend and the Ravenna, but the Transcend felt clunky when I tried them; I never even took them on a run before returning them!
"Training":
My runs this week also gave me a little confidence boost! I've been worried about my speed work not paying off in longer distances (and by "longer" these days I mean the 10k), but the easy effort of my distance runs this week, paired with the paces of my repeats, have given me confidence for my 10k goal race in October.
I plan to add tempo runs more consistently into my training toward the end of the August, and I also plan to add a fourth weekly run into my schedule soon.
To be honest, I'm enjoying my working schedule, but I miss running, and I'd like to see higher weekly mileage, so I feel it's time to run more! Is it weird to miss something I'm doing consistently multiple times a week? I'm sure you guys know what I mean!
This post has been brought to you by the TOTR linkup!
Have you been acclimating well to the summer heat? How many days a week do you like to run? When you're not following a training plan, how do you make sure to get the most out of your speed work? ABK
Today I'm thinking out loud about what I hope to accomplish this summer. My break isn't normal this year because of my career transition, so I have less time off. Summer is short anyway because we got out June 13 but start August 1 (next year we'll get out in May); on top of that, I have CRT training in mid-July and then I got back to work for new teacher training July 25.
Saying goodbye to my classroom of seven years.
So in my few short weeks of free time, here's what I plan to do!
1. Housework. I hate to admit it, but from May onward I really dropped the ball on house-related things. I need to get back on track with daily stuff like laundry and dishes, but I also need to pick a backsplash for our kitchen and get that installed. I also need to finally unpack the last couple boxes from our move two summers ago!
2. Cook! I'm trying to put together a little recipe book over the summer so that during the year I have some easy and delicious recipes to fall back on. I'm getting so bored of the same old stuff.
Please share a favorite/easy/crockpot recipe in the comments! Remember to keep it gluten free :)
3. Read. I am so ready to read for fun! HP round 12 (or something), here I come!
4. Working out. I'm excited to try some new workouts and enjoy my runs without the added pressure of work the next day. I have my sights on the Race for FISH 10k in October; my PR for the 10k distance is on that course, and I'd like to beat it this fall.
It's been nice to have a schedule and an accountability partner over the last couple weeks because I've been pretty tired and just going through the motions. You may have noticed. I'm getting my workouts done, but my heart hasn't been totally in them. But I'm ready for summer rejuvenation and the energy and work ethic that comes with it.
5. Travel? Maybe? Matt and I may make a trip to see friends in July, and he'd like to fit a cruise in, but I'm not sure when that will all happen. We try to travel every summer but this year I'm not sure time is on our side.
6. Nothing. Seriously, I'm looking forward to turning off all my alarms and just letting my body get as much sleep as it wants. I have to confess, I like still being in bed when Matt has to get up for work because during the school year I always have to get up first!
Speaking of beds, this year for our anniversary I'm buying us a new mattress. I can't wait! We're long overdue and I'm so ready to wake up feeling refreshed instead of super sore. I'm too young to be this achy!
Do you have any good summer recipes to share? Do you like your mattress? Picking a new one is super stressful! Do you have any trips planned this summer? ABK
Sometimes, you just need to step back from the internet. Well, maybe not you...but I certainly do. I think it was good timing that the end of July was filled with celebrations with friends for our anniversary and then a big trip to St. Croix. I really needed to spend some time just enjoying life and away from the computer.
Of course, now it's the first of the month, and that means it's time to start fresh. The training plan I've decided on for the BDR Marathon is a 16-week plan, and I have about 19 weeks until race day. I used a 20-week plan for Spacecoast and felt burned out, so I think having a shorter plan will really help.
While I get back into the swing of things post-vacation, I'll ramp up my running a bit so I can start the official plan on August 23.
I'm going to do my best to catch up on all the exciting news in blog-world. I'll leave you with some photos from St. Croix. We had a great time getting Scott settled in (he's moving there to begin PA school) and exploring the island. Our flights back were insanely hectic...I'm so relieved to finally be home!
Scott and Matt at Freedom City, a SUP shop and grill. We had dinner on the beach at sunset...so nice!
This is Scott's balcony, where we had breakfast every morning. You really can't beat that view.
Matt and Scott got their diving certification and practiced in this mountain-top pool. Nothing like diving while atop a mountain, right?
We checked out Point Udall, the eastermost point in the US.
Another at Point Udall.
These flamboyant trees (also called flame trees or royal poinciana) are my new favorite. They're SO bright; I want one in our yard. This was taken at the Botanical Gardens.
The Cruzan Rum Distillery was a delicious treat, and I'm not usually a rum drinker!
We hiked a 2.7 mile mountain trail and scaled some jagged rocks to relax in the tide pools in Carambola, then hiked back.
The locals in St. Croix are ridiculously friendly. Scott met a few students from his PA program (they hiked to the tide pools with us), so when we left him we really felt like we'd helped him get comfortable and settle in, which was the goal!
We couldn't have enjoyed our vacation without the peace of mind of friends watching the house and Matt's mom watching Archie. I'm so grateful we were able to take this trip. It was just what I needed to get my mind ready for school-planning and marathon training.
Have you ever traveled to St. Croix or the US Virgin Islands?
Have you ever gone SCUBA diving? I opted out of that particular adventure...my fear of water was just too much to deal with.
I am blown away by the supportive comments on my last post, but not surprised. You guys are the best. Thank you.
Lately I'm juggling two different but related decisions regarding marathon training. The first - running in the summer - is more immediate because I don't actually start my real training plan until August!
It's always nice when the first race-reminder shows up in your email!
Regarding summer running, I'm beginning to remember why I like to run in the morning during summer. Afternoon runs are totally tricky to plan.
If I go in the early evening, the sun is still strong and the humidity and temperature is insane. For some reason, my heart rate goes nuts and I get really dizzy in the heat, even once I've acclimated to summer temps. If I run in the early evening, I have to play it safe and really slow down - no speedwork for sure.
Last night I finally conquered 4 miles - my longest run since my break in May - but I stopped to drink water
multiple times, which ended up slowing me down and making me sluggish.
If I wait to go in the later evening (and still feel motivated enough to go), I'm almost definitely going to get rained out. I don't mind running in a little rain, but heavy rain with lightning is a deal-breaker, and lately that's been our daily weather.
Every. Single. Day.
So the dilemma now is turning myself back into a morning runner. Having a partner to meet with would work best, but it's been hard to get on the same schedule as my running buddies. I need to be better about going to bed earlier and just getting up when the alarm goes off, but we all know that's easier said than done.
The second thing I'm wrestling with right now is choosing a marathon plan. Right now I'm stuck between two from Runner's World. One is the "Break 5:00" plan and one is the "Break 4:45" plan. (I know taking 41 minutes off my last marathon seems ambitious, but hear me out.)
Here's the issue: I know when I'm actually training and being diligent, the paces on the "Break 5:00" plan will seem too easy; however, the "Break 4:45" plan doesn't have a "snapshot" I can check out before committing, and the "Break 4:30" plan (which I only looked at for reference) sets paces that are definitely out of my league for a full.
I know easy runs are meant to be easy but 12:09 just seems far off my usual pace.
I'm pretty sure an overall pace of 10:18 isn't achievable for me (yet) for a full, but even these easy-run paces seem low.
I guess this comes down to whether or not I buy into the "slow down more than you're used to on easy days" mentality.
Because there was no snapshot of the 4:45 plan, I used the McMillan Calculator to figure it out. I think a sub-11 pace is doable if I really put in the work.
I think I can achieve a 5-hour marathon. I think I would have last time except for some extenuating circumstances. Now that I know what to expect and know how to change my training for the better, I think 5:00 is a really solid goal for me. But the plan just looks...almost too easy. It's like I don't believe these paces will get me to that goal!
Do I aim for the 4:45 plan (go big or go home) with the caveat that I know I'm actually aiming for 5:00, or do I use the 5:00 plan with the understanding that I may not be pushing myself hard enough if I use it? (I mean, the paces for 4:45 vs. 5:00 aren't that different really...)
Or do I buy both and create my own plan using their prescribed runs and paces for guidance?! I'm probably over-thinking this, and I have time to really decide what's best for me, but I'd love to hear your thoughts. ABK
