Join me as I travel around the country to fulfill my goal of running a marathon or half marathon in each of the 50 states and the District of Columbia!

Monday, June 27, 2011

If you don't use it you LOSE it.

I've been doing the Run Less Run Faster program for 3 weeks now. I skipped the long runs the first 2 weeks because it's hot, I'm lazy, and I've been eating way too much ice cream lately. I could not go a 3rd week with no long run, because if you don't use it you lose it. I LOST IT. 

I had 9.5 miles planned yesterday. When I'm having a tough run I can usually count on my mom to respond to a text message with something inspirational and/or motivating. Yesterday I was really struggling at mile 5. I sent her the following picture: 

She responded with "Huh? How did you get a picture of your brother?" She was serious. I'll be wearing earrings on my next run. 
I don't know about this whole training through the summer thing.

I'm 4 miles from my house. I think my shoes are melting it's so hot outside. Send help.
Home, sweet home. Cold tile - you are my best friend.
My mom didn't sent anything inspirational so I had to rely on Rihanna. I must have pressed that "power song" button on my iphone at least 5 times this run. Rihanna and Nicki Minaj's Raining Men is really the best running song. Pink's Raise Your Glass is a close second. The beats are just too good to not move your body.

I had to stop for a couple stop lights so I guess this isn't too bad for me considering the heat: 
Then I took my beast of a bike (seriously it weighs like half an elephant - yes, that is a type of measurement) to the pool to try out my new Nike swimwear. I was rolling slow, and just thought my legs were really tired from the 9 miles, but I looked down to find two flat tires. Dang it. I walked my bike the rest of the way to the pool. People stared.
Walk yourself home, stupid.
Here is a picture of the pool. You aren't getting a picture of me at the pool because Nike does not design suits like Victoria Secret. That swim suit is all business. Seriously, that thing is tight. It makes the things you want to hide, bulge out. The things you want to bulge out get flattened. No bueno for getting your tan on, but it was good for swimming a few laps!
Do you still run the same mileage during the dog days of summer? I'm not doing so well.
How much water do you carry? I have a 2 bottle Nathan belt that is barely enough for the hot, long run days, but still a significant amount of added weight. A guy and his wife were also sweating it out yesterday. When they ran by looking like they had been in the desert for 2 weeks he pointed at my belt and was like "oh, we need to get that!" haha. Yes, sir. You do.


Happy (hot) Running, 

24 comments:

Marisa @ The Pace of my Life said...

I am doing the RLRF program, too, in the summer heat and have also decided a few times that I am crazy for doing so!! I have been trying to stick to it as much as possible. It's tough and quite a challenge! But it helped when I read the part in the book about heat and humidity. Plus there are a few articles online on active.com that talk about adjusting your run for heat and humidity that really help. Keep it up! Sounds like you are doing great!! Also, on my long runs I hydrate with nuun in my two bottle fuel belt...and there are times that it is completely empty before I get home!!

Unknown said...

Wow, Sam, someone might think we conspired on our blog posts this morning!

Hang in there, keep it up...and all that. Oh, Raise Your Glass is a great song to run too!

Education: Exploring Online Learning said...

I did the shady part of the 4 mile run trail on saturday for a 6 miler (who named that trail?) thinking i'd beat the heat.

No dice. The shade was great, but that thing is ALL HILLS!

I'm impressed you did 9.5.

ATTrio said...

Running in summer is hard. I wake up SOO early so that i can beat as much heat as possible. I sometimes carry water but I always hide water and will stop at any gas station in order to refuel. Good luck. How is the run less run faster plan??!!

-Jen

Kurt @ Becoming An Ironman said...

I tend to run more in the summer since I don't have to worry about freezing. I am bad, however, at the whole hydration bit. I did a 9 miler yesterday after work and felt it by mile 6 or 7.

I think I need to coordinate my runs around public drinking fountains or friend's apartments.

ashley said...

I completely feel ya! I only ran twice the week before the marathon and now that it's over I'm definitely planning to start running less until fall gets here.

Tricia said...

great job pushing through the run

Emz said...

you
did
awesome
woman!!

Rachel said...

Thanks for checking out my blog! I had a great run with Jess! :)

Pink's Raise Your Glass is one of my favorite running songs! I'll have to check our Raining Men now since you obviously have such great taste.

Running in the heat is just awful - I used to think running in the cold is worse, but it's not!

Rose @ Eat, Drink, and Be Meiri said...

It sounds like you did an unintentional triathlon. hahahah.

Britt @ Chicago Runner Girl said...

Running in the summer is difficult. I've been getting up super early to get runs in before it gets too hot and humid, but it doesn't usually work. I live right on the Chicago lakefront and when I get hot on my run, I jump in the lake.

Last summer I was riding on two flat tires and couldn't figure out why is was so difficult to make forward progress...talk about feeling stupid.

Austin said...

Hilarious. Just found your blog through the 201ronman page. Good luck with the heat. More pool time!
And for some reason, It's Raining Men doesn't get me moving...

Courtney said...

you are awesome. i haven't ran since monday... last monday! but you're right, if you don't use it you lose it so I'm off to get mine in too!

Fruit Fly said...

Last year my summer running SUCKED!! I mean there is no other way to say it really. I'm trying to make this summer better, but all of my training for this half marathon I just did? Yeah - 5 miles a week. TOTAL. So I ran about what, 25 miles or so total to prepare for a half? Yeah, I need to fix that. But the heat sucks - and we haven't even really had REAL heat yet over here.

Your post made me tired. I feel exhausted just trying to keep up with all that you did! I'd want to just throw myself in the pool and float there like a beached whale! *but then beached whales are on land, so that doesn't make sense. Hm.*

Richelle said...

Hee hee... your photos made me laugh. I can't believe your mom had mistaken you for your brother. Wow...

I actually run MORE during the summer. I put in a lot of mileage at high temperatures for Ragnar Relay training, since the one I'm doing is in the middle of August. All that training pays off in the fall when I run fast races at cooler temps. :)

I usually carry a water bottle with me, unless I have access to water pumps (which I do when I run around certain lakes in Minneapolis).

Vanessa @ Gourmet Runner said...

Nice job on your long runs! I definitely slow things down on my long runs in heat like that!
I run with a camelbak handheld--20 ounces. It's usually enough for me for anything less than 2 hours, but after that I have to grab something else or find a fountain to refill!

Jayme @ Runner-n-Spice said...

This post reminded me that I havent done a long run (more than 10 km) since my Half marathon on May 29. Crap - I've probably lost it all!! Ek....

Being on holiday in Boston right now doesn't help the cause much either :)

Loved the tile picture! aw!

Margot (fasterbunnyblog) said...

Well now I live in So Cal so it doesn't really get hot (even though people here think so!!).

I grew up in NoVA so I know what you're running through! I plan my running routes so that there are a billion water fountains. Nice job with the running plan.

Teamarcia said...

I am cracking up because I could have written this. the heat suuucks! If it's really hot I switch to 'do what you can' mode and just cover the miles at whatever pace. I have a Fuel Belt I cram 30 oz into and I still have to swing by the house to reload and lay on the cold tiles before getting back out there.
BUT know that when you're standing at that that starting line, you'll think back to these stinking hot days and remember that you put that hay in the barn!

Kayla said...

Thanks for stopping by my blog! Your blog is awesome!!

Heather said...

It is hot. I got up at 5:30 last Saturday for my long run and I am going to have to get up even earlier this week. It was still too hot.
I don't carry water. I leave my gatorade on my driveway and if I run by I get a drink. Maybe more water would help.

(You did a whole triathlon there with the running, biking, swimming!)

Erik Ammon said...

I have actually been picking up my mileage (after a brief injury slow down) in my running. I went through 2.5 liters of water the other morning. Usually I'll carry a water bottle and a gel or two for runs between 6-12 miles (gels are for emergency oh crap I feel dizzy or bonked feelings) and if going longer (or if it's really hot) I'll us a Camelback (which I love, but forget the model).

Stephanie F said...

I hate it now that I'm reading blogs in google reader instead of going to blogger. I never click over to the blog and comment! Anyway, I look so much like my brother when I have my hair up too... but that was too funny.

Thanks for saying I'm hilarious. But be careful... we don't want my head to get as big as my butt. That would be OUT of control.

Erin @ UntilYouTri said...

Oh man! My body refuses to accept the heat. I would be struggling, too. I suppose if I had to have a sprained foot, it might as well be in teh summer. I am thinking about using the run less run faster program for my marathon training, too!!! If my foot ever gets better enough to run on it again, that is...:(