Monday, June 28, 2010

I Hate Running - Log 13: Heat, Humidity, and Lots of Sweat

I'm not sure what else to say about running last week, except that it was hot.

And not just "hot", but that sticky-100 percent humidity-thunderstorm warning-over 90 degrees-heat wave-check on the elderly and your pets-excessive heat warning type of hot.

As a result, I wimped out a bit and only ran for 3 days and didn't push myself as much at all. I kept to my plan for the first interval (running for 12 minutes), but for the second interval, I started out with a longer recovery walk and was lucky if I ran for 5 more minutes after that. Yuck-o!

Despite being truncated, each run this week ended with the same result: a very sweaty Brittany.

This week should be better. Today we're supposed to top out at 97 degrees with a heat index of about 103 (so, guess who is not running today?), but after that, the temperatures are going to drop a bit. If all goes according to plan, we'll be down to 78 by Thursday (I am so looking forward to that).

Running in this heat is also making me wonder what it's like to run in other extreme. When winter rolls around, I'll be curious to see which is worse: running during these sweltering days of summer or running during the bitter cold days? I've mentioned before that I'm a straight up, stay-indoors-all-winter type of wimp when it comes to the cold, but I don't know if it can be any worse than running through a constant wall of humidity.

If you've been running for a while, which do you prefer: running in the heat, or the cold? Do you have any advice for combating the hot, hot weather?

Coming up this week, I'll be doing 2 intervals: running for 15 minutes and walking for 2. I'll also be adding in a 7 minute warm-up from the most recent issue of Runner's World that will help strengthen my core and gluts and help with balance (since my core is currently rather puffy, I'm sure it can use some strengthening... ditto for my gluts).

It looks simple, but since I'd still consider myself a novice at this whole "fitness" thing, it's probably going to be kick my butt for the first couple of days, so wish me luck! Hopefully, though, it will kick my butt in a good way and be helpful as I get ready for my first 5K and later for the Half Pig.

If you're out running this week, be safe and stay cool!

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10 comments:

Anonymous said...

I personally prefer running in the rain. I am a pacific northwest native and I live for the rain. I don't like the super cold weather, but I would take it over a hot day any time. I would recommend taking your runs in the morning or evening if you can. I am taking mine in the morning because it is usually cooler then even more so than the evening because the world has a whole night to cool down. Basically that's my advice and two cents! :)

Rock, Paper, Scissors said...

Are you running with an MP3 player? If so, I would love to see a list of your running songs.

Favorite running weather cloudy, between 50-60 degrees. No more than a breeze.

The best way to combat the hot weather is to avoid it. :o) not the answer you were looking for. I still dress in layers and litter the trail with my clothing (picking it back up on my way back). It makes me feel like I have control of the heat. of course I have never done this in temps above mid-80's.

Rock, Paper, Scissors said...

I live in Chicago, and if you have the right gear running in the winter isn't too bad. I rather run in too cold of weather than too hot.

Steph @ Professors_Wife said...

Running in the cold is a little easier for me - get some good clothing for it, which will keep you warmer. I hate these sticky days! The heat is fine - but the humidity BLOWS! lol

Aubrey S. said...

I've been with you on the wimping out because of heat, and my waistline is telling me I can't do that anymore.

Amber Page Writes said...

I'm not looking forward to running in the winter - I'd rather go at like 9 p.m. to cope with the heat. I'm hoping by the time fall gets here I can afford a treadmill, but we'll see.

Vickie said...

It has been ridiculously hot recently. I'm looking forward to the drop in temperature this week as well. I think I'd rather run when it's cold out than when it's hot. At least when it's cold you can just add more layers- there's not much you can do when it's a billion degrees out.

Anonymous said...

you're lucky you can run even 12 minutes because I can barely handle 3. Pat on the back to you girl.

Screen Door Prep said...

I can't answer...I started running when I was in college in Ohio, where it was a blizzard from September until basically May. So I always ran indoors on a treadmill. Now I'm in Alabama, which is a bit more moderate, I guess. But I don't deal w/ the misery of the heat&humidity (at least not for running) because I'm still conditioned to prefer the treadmill.

I do get that it is such a different kind of running. I pound the pavement occasionally to stay fit enough on it to run a 5k. Good luck & stay cool!

Helen McGinn said...

Cold weather, definitely but I love running in the rain which is just as well as we get a lot of it here in Scotland! I hope you are well hon, thanks for your lovely comments on my last post...a month ago now, outrageous.....everything has calmed down so I'm blogging once again. xx