Good morning!
It has been a bit since I last shared my coffee over some chat.
While summer may not officially be upon us, it is safe to say; summer is here! Some might argue for winter, but most would say that summer is the most challenging time of year to run. Heat and humidity challenge our endurance, thus making even the easiest of runs difficult.
Yesterday Kathy and I went out for a run and the real feel temperature was 94 degrees. We battled through 60 minutes of running with a few breaks and ended up covering 5 miles. Kathy mentioned after that our distance was not so great for that amount of time, and I responded by telling her, I could not have been more pleased with our results. Running in temperatures that are 80 degrees and higher, is crazy, but certainly doable if managed correctly and if expectations are reasonable.
Kathy and I planned out our run ahead of time by looking at the hourly forecast and determining the best time based on not just the temperature, but also the humidity level. While the temperature might have been a little higher at 2:30, the humidity level was to be below 60 percent, so based on that and our schedules, we choose a mid-day run. Also, to mitigate the sun as best possible, we would run out at the reservoir.
After some stretching we set out for our run and a few minutes into it, I commented that my legs were dead, and Kathy responded that she felt the same! Hot weather running!
We surprisingly got a mile before we took our first break and then we proceeded to battle through the run. A little of 60 minutes later, we were both soaked in sweat and exhausted, but we got it done.
For me, I was not only happy that my calf was reasonably okay, but I was also elated with our having run in such challenging heat. Five miles in 60-minutes may not seem worth getting elated over but running for 60-minutes is awesome in any conditions. I commented to Kathy as we drove out of the reservoir, a run always makes a day better! I am you all get that.
A quick shout out to the No Finish Line Running training group, led by Deej Swallow! Yesterday they capped off their spring training group by running the Bow Lake Dam Race for Cystic Fibrosis. That race is challenging enough because of the hills, but with 100 percent humidity, it had to be pure hell! NFLR continues to help runners get it done and this summer they will be training for multiple events, so come run with us!
A bit long today, but the coffee was good! Have a great Sunday and do not let the heat keep you off the road or trails!
God Bless!
Mike
