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Quite honestly, I don't have much to grumble about. My mileage has been decent. I've had a few races, and those have gone well. My cross-training has been legit. Everyone's in good health....
...but there a few things I'll share. After all, it's that time of the month...time to Runfess so we can all sleep a little better at night (since a lot of us probably have an early-morning workout on tap).
Pull up a chair and give a listen...
Shall we start with the proverbial elephant in the (imaginary) room? I love the heat, probably more than most people, but Holy Hotter-Than-Hades, Batman! Let me runfess that even I thought the recent heat wave was pretty extreme. We had a solid week of high (for Iowa) temps, in the upper 80F's, and every day had very high humidity levels. Let's just say there was a lot of glistening and glowing going on...and not just while working out.
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| Yes, the handy dandy water bottle accompanied me on every outing |
Did y'all know I have a marathon happening in late October? The Marine Corps Marathon has long been a major bucket list contender of mine, and I was able to secure a bib, via a friend . But I (sheepishly) runfess, I've been rather lax in mapping out a training plan. I've got a good base, so it's not like I'm starting from scratch. Also, I've done this 26.2 rodeo eight times before, so I know what my body is capable of and I know my mileage ideals (and limits). I do have most of the long runs penciled in, and a few races as well, so I'm getting there...
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| a 26.2 work-in-progress |
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| After my 4-miler on Saturday...it was HOT! |
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| Meb and me in 2014 |
Finally, what is up with me and the biking? Even I'm at a loss as to what's happening. I seriously gotta runfess, I'm kind of starting to like my time with Gustavas (that's the name I gave to my 2-wheeled companion). I mean no disrespect to fellow cyclists, but I really like the ease of the sport. Unless I'm tackling the hilly 15-mile trek on the bike path, most of my rides are on city streets and are more recreational than strenuous. I've been doing some biking, recently, on my non-running days...kind of as an active recovery endeavor. It's pretty incredible how forgiving biking is on a hot day in comparison to running (or even walking).
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How about YOU? Anything you need to runfess to the rest of us? Weather...still hot, or did you get a brief cool-down? Any races this weekend? Ever met Meb?
I'm linking this with Marcia for the monthly Runfessions link-up.
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I've heard so many great things about that race! How fun that Meb is going to be there too. I've met him a few times and could listen to him every single day. He is nice and very humble man.
ReplyDeleteI am happy with the cool down that we've been having here. No complaints here.
Yes, Meb is a very genuine and humble role model. Unfortunately, he had some kind of family emergency I think), and wasn't able to make a showing at the Bix ;-(
DeleteAll the best with Bix #4! I'm totally fine with the heat as long as it cools down at night and stays cool enough in the early morning to run. Is that asking too much?? Ha! Thanks for linking.
ReplyDeleteI don't mind the early mornings, so long as it's not too cool...that 60F business was a bit extreme, earlier this week, for my blood ;-(
DeleteI keep forgetting you're doing MCM - how awesome! That is an amazing bike photo -- I don't even try bike selfies. How did you do it?
ReplyDeleteThe bike photo...I propped my phone by my mailbox stand and rode the bike by it, timing it with (almost) perfection LOL Usually have the setting on "live" photo, so that gives me a few photo cells to choose from. Of course, I then played around with Prisma a bit to funk-it-up ;-)
DeleteMCM is supposed to be a great race. I have a plan for NYCM in Nov but I am stil slacking on my runs.
ReplyDeleteLove the summer weather!!!
Amen!! I love the summer weather, too. It's all about taking what Momma N gives us and adapting to it, right?
Deleteyour training for MCM seems to be going really well! You know I am a big fan of biking in the summer time. It's great cross training.
ReplyDeleteI'm really enjoying the biking on my easy days...for me, those rides feel more like a recovery endeavor than a workout. win-win ;-)
DeleteDid I know you are doing MCM? I'm doing it too! It's the first marathon I have ever done more than once. I am breaking my own rule. I did it last year (injured) and LOVED it. I had chills for most of the race. Seeing all the marines and veterans was just so moving. I'm doing it this year with a 78-year-old friend who is doing his 51st marathon and his 31st MCM!
ReplyDeleteI'm a heat-lover too, but here in PA temperatures have hovered around 100 with high humidity! Yikes!
Yes, I knew you're doing MCM, and we'd better get an opportunity to meet up there ;-) I'm have so much respect for all things military (my husband served for 31 years, after all). I'll probably be a blubbering fool on the race course...
DeleteDefinitely bring the sharpie with you! I have a visor that I have famous runners sign (on the rare occasion I meet them).
ReplyDeleteBiking is great cross training and much easier on the body, until you crash, of course. I prefer mine on the stationary bike. :)
I do wish my running group would be more flexible with times/days. Then again, I have more flexibility with the days I can run. Sundays are fine with me if it's better weather!
Well, I brought the Sharpie with me, but Meb was a no-show ;-( I heard he had some kind of emergency come up and wasn't able to make it there...
DeleteLove that photo of you and Meb! Sounds like the Summer is going pretty well in spite of the heat :) And I'm planning to cheer people on at the Marine Corps Marathon so I'll definitely look for you to give an extra loud cheer!
ReplyDeleteExcellent!!! I hope to spot you in the crowd!!!
DeleteGot the brief cool down but I've learned with the constant glisten that happens when we walk out of the door down here lol. Also, I have to agree with the cycling! You are doing it for enjoyment and recovery so it's all good. I like to hop on for a few miles too and it's great for my legs!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Virjinia, you totally nailed it. I'm doing the biking more for recovery than "fitness," but I know I'm getting a lot of fitness out of it ;-)
DeleteGood luck with the Bix #4! I got to meet Meb at RnR Vegas a couple of years ago - isn't he just the nicest guy?!
ReplyDeleteWe've had a cool down here this week, which you know I'm just loving ;)
Meb is the NICEST guy, ever!!!
DeleteLove that you are loving the bike right now! I would love to ride more, but the roads are so slick from all the rain we are having. It makes it a little more scary.
ReplyDeleteGreat July! You are going to crush it at MCM!
Biking would be scary on wet roads...glad that hasn't been an issue for me.
DeleteThe photo with the bottle is too beautiful. It explains very well how hot is the weather in Iowa.
ReplyDeleteI am glad you allowed Meb to take a picture with you! You are more famous!
ha ha ha!!! Yes, I was most accommodating to Meb when he requested the pic LOL
DeleteI runfess that 93 degrees on Thursday was enough to send me spare. I had to give up work in my top-floor office at midday and hide in the darkened lounge with the cat and my book ... HOWEVER I had to run, didn't I??! At 6am when it was merely 60 and quite fresh. But it was a bit weird, I suppose.
ReplyDeleteMy marathon training plans always look like that - put the long runs in, then slot other stuff around them! It's fine! We know what we're doing!
Yes, we do know what we're doing ;-) I was pretty OCD with my first marathon, and somewhat with my second as well. My third had so many weird scheduling conflicts (it was an early summer marathon, so a heavy spring of training with SO many other non-running things happening)...and it went surprisingly well considering I had to make the best of what time I had available.
DeleteI haven't gone biking outdoors since I was a kid, but for some reason when you put a stationary bike in a dark room with loud music I love it! It sounds like you have a good plan for your race!
ReplyDeleteha ha...and I'm kind of the polar opposite. I don't do much biking (though I'm doing more recently than ever before), but I gotta be outside. I'm that way with my running, too...the treadmill is NOT my gig LOL
DeleteI'm so glad to hear you are enjoying your bike time! It's a great way to cross train for running too!!
ReplyDeleteThis biking thing has really taken me by surprise...
DeleteI love the heat too but dang it’s been hot!
ReplyDeleteIt has been crazy hot!
DeleteHow cool that you met Meb!
ReplyDeleteI'm with you on no Sunday long runs. I'm really glad my group meets Saturday mornings as it gives me Sunday to recover physically and a chill day. There's some grumbling in the group among those still young enough to want to go out on Friday nights, but we're mostly "grown ups" of relative shapes.