Humidity

...now browsing by tag

 
 

Swamp Chest

Thursday, August 20th, 2009

Workout: 3 miles

Weather: HOT and HUMID

So, if you are a runner, or someone who works out, or maybe just have some general knowledge, you are familiar with the term swamp butt.  Yes, I know, it’s nasty to think about it, but we’ve all had it at one time or another…usually on long hot runs…or if you’re unfortunate, just sitting around watching TV.  In any case, you know what it is.  Well, on really hot and humid days when I run I seem to suffer from swamp chest.  Specifically, right in the middle of my chest.  My shirt just gets drenched in that location…combo of sweat from my chest, my neck, my face…all over…all dripping and pooling right there.  It’s a really uncomfortable feeling.  More often than not when it is hot out I’ll run without a shirt on, so it’s not a problem, but I haven’t been eating right lately so I’ve been feeling a little…bulky.  So I decided to cover it up.

Running ShoesOtherwise the run was good.  I finally got to run in my new running shoes.  See a difference between the old and new?  No, you probably can’t.  Same brand, same color scheme.  Because I spray my running shoes with shoe protector / waterproofer before I first use them, they stay really clean.  It’s just the tread that wears away.   But sliding those new shoes on was a pretty awesome feeling.  It also got me to thinking about all the running shoes I’ll be sliding on while I’m doing my training for this ultra marathon.  Really looking forward to that.

Well, that’s about it for today.  I hope you all enjoy the new site layout and pictures…I’d love to hear back from you all on it.  So, until next time, run on friends!

Posted in Running | No Responses »
Tags: , , , , ,

Neptune City Day 5K and Monday 5 Miler

Monday, August 3rd, 2009

Neptune City Day 5K FinishDay: Saturday

Workout: 5K Race

Time: 36:30

So Saturday I ran the Neptune City Day 5K.  I run this race every year…except for last year when I was injured.  Some years I run it for time, others I just run it to run it.  This year I ran it with my girlfriend, and it was her first 5K.  It’s funny…she’s run 2 half marathons, is training for a third, but this was her first 5K.  I felt she did really well.  It was pretty humid, and definitely not cool out.  Within a half mile we were covered it sweat.  But, we stuck to our plan.  We ran the first 1.25 miles (to the first water stop), then started run / walking (run 2, walk 1) until the last quarter mile, then we ran the last quarter.  It was a good time.  My friend and his fiance and her mom ran it as well…they beat us by like 30 seconds.  After that we headed to the beach…

Day: Monday

Workout: 5 miles

Time: 41:00 (8:06, 8:00, 8:30, 7:56, 8:48)

So because I didn’t get a long run in this weekend like I had planned, I wanted to do around 6-7.  I didn’t really have a route planned out, so I just headed out the door and figured I’d see where my legs took me.  I headed down the road to where I usually turn around after one mile, but this time just kept going.  Turned up this long hilly (mostly uphill) road, then down a flat and downhill road, then back down another road which led back to the first road.  At that point I realized my new loop wasn’t taking me for 6 or 7, but I felt with the amount of hills and the speed I was going it was just as good a workout.  After the run I ended up walking an extra half mile.  I tend to go where my legs take me, and today they took me all the way around my complex.  I guess I needed the extra cool down.

Well, that sums up the past 2 runs.  Gotta get a couple more good ones in this week I hope, including a weekend long run.  Hopefully I should have a date soon for the baseball game, and I’ll post it as soon as I have it.  So, here’s to getting through another week.  Run on friends!

Posted in Fundraising, Running | No Responses »
Tags: , , , , ,

Running in the Jungle

Sunday, July 26th, 2009

Workout: LSD

Distance: 8 miles

So Friday I did my long run for the week.  I wanted to do 10 originally, but I decided to run with my girlfriend and she’s only up to 8, so 8 we did.  We decided to run at the Towpath is Piscataway.   My thought, as well as hers, was that the trees along the towpath will provide a good amount of shade, allowing us to stay a little cooler.  So we started off our run under the trees in the park, felt cool.  Up and over the bridge in the sun…kinda warm.  Then we made our way back under the trees along the Towpath.

Guess what.  Not cooler.  Actually, even more hot and humid under the trees than out in the open.  Reason being is that the trees and surrounding vegetation act almost like insulation, keeping the heat and humidity in.  It…was…brutal.  Needless to say we ran slower than we expected.  I ran the whole way with a bottle of Gatorade and a bottle of water.  We actually rationed it pretty well, but we probably could have used some more.  Luckily I had a powergel and she had shotblocks to get some salt back into our systems.

But we made it back, and glad we did since we wouldn’t have a chance to run over the weekend.  Our reward was even more warm Gatorade which had been sitting in my car for us.  Mmmm hmmmm.  Tasty.

Me and Steph at Wedding

Oh, and a bonus for my girlfriend.  Even though we were running in the shade, she still got tans lines…and we had a wedding to go to on Saturday.  She tans sooo easy.  Luckily they faded some and the lighting was low at the reception, so there wasn’t much to see.

In any case, hoping to get a good solid week in this week of running…the pain in my leg went away after my long run, so hopefully it’ll stay gone.  So I’m off to bed.  Have a great week everyone.  Run on friends!!!

Posted in Running | No Responses »
Tags: , , ,

Trail Blazin Hot

Thursday, July 16th, 2009

Workout: New Trail Run

Distance: 3.3 Miles

Weather: HOT and HUMID

So yeah, it was hot out today…and humid.  Definitely the type of hot and humid most normal people say “I am not running today.”  But does a man who wants to run a 100 mile race through the mountains seem like the kind of guy that has any sense to say no to running on a day like today?  No, no he doesn’t.

So I decided I wanted to find a new place to run today.  So I did some Google Mapping to see what I could find.  Turns out there is a county park with trails less than 10 minutes from where I live.  So, I hopped in the car and took off down the road.  It took me a few minutes once I got outta my car to find the entrance to the trails…there weren’t any “Hey, here’s the trails” signs any where.  But I found it, and off I went.

I love trail running.  Being out in the woods, running on dirt (and sand) trails, getting surprised by animals off the trail like deer and the occasional bear, alone with no one around for seemingly miles…it’s just amazing.  Today I saw about 5 deer…deer big enough to knock me over and kick my butt.  I got turned around a few times, but all in all I was pretty happy with the run.  It’s definitely a place I’ll return to…hopefully on a much cooler day than today was.

So yeah, that makes 3 days running this week.  The goal is to get a short run in tomorrow, than a 9 miler on Saturday.  That’ll make one solid week of running for me.  So friends, despite the weather, despite anything else going on in your life, make sure you run on!

Posted in Running | No Responses »
Tags: , , , ,