Summer is officially here, people! And not just per calendar! We are talking 100+ degrees, endless blue skies, blazing sunshine, and balmy nights. And this girl that runs is happy! Because, really, this is all she has been waiting for since last November. As if that was a secret!
After years of living in lovely Santa Barbara and having to deal with foggy summers I still get all giddy that I wake up to warmth and sunshine every morning all throughout the summer now. I love Santa Barbara, don’t get me wrong, and I absolutely loved living there. But the May Gray and June Gloom that often lasted from April until mid July was something I never got used to in all the years we lived there. Sure, you adjust, but the constant dampness when it’s supposed to be SUMMER was something that was hard to get used to and I never did. And reliable source tell me that it has been particularly bad this year. Brrrrrr….
Now friends, who don’t live in the desert, ask me all the time how we can cope with the torturous heat. Well, just like you would adjust to living in a cold climate you also adjust to heat. In cold climates you buy thick clothes, boots, hats, gloves, and scarves. Here we buy sun dresses, tank tops, flip flops, sun hats and sunblock. We drink enormous amounts of water, dip in the pool every chance we get, and sit outside during the evening hours without having to bundle up. It’s awesome, really!
Running outside during the summer has gotten easier as well. I had a hard time when we used to go back and forth between here and Santa Barbara. The temperature difference every other week did not lend itself to a productive run outside during the weeks we were here. But after two full summers in the desert I can honestly say that it does not bother me as much any more to run in the heat of the summer, especially when I manage to get out early enough.
I have been getting up early all month which has allowed me to still run outside. Hopefully this will continue for a while longer as I would like to use the treadmill for my regular morning run as little as possible. Although starting next week I will hit the treadmill for some uphill runs in preparation for my favorite race. I have missed it two years in a row and am determined to make it this September. After months of flat runs it’s time to get my booty in gear and up some hills. At least I’ll be acclimatized for the heat wave that usually hits Santa Barbara on Labor Day weekend, although I am not sure I will be used to the added distance this year to make it a proper Half (we had been coming in short all these past years).
Talking of “added distance”, when I went over my monthly stats this morning I realized that I have been miscalculating one of my routes. I have been cutting myself short but I just cannot be bothered to change the distance for all the runs I did on this track. It’s not that important anyway and I will make up for it in July, running uphill and all.
| Total Distance: |
216.68 miles |
| Total Time: |
49:17:52 min |
| Run Distance: |
157.78 miles miles |
| Run Time: |
19:25:52 min |
| Walk Distance: |
58.9 miles |
| Walk Time: |
18:52:00 min |
- Shortest run: 5 miles
- Longest run: 8 miles
- Average speed: 7:23 min/miles
- Strength & Endurance: 4 hours
- Weight Training: 3 hours
- Yoga: 4 hours
- Road Biking: 98 miles
- Spinning: 3:30 hours
Today’s Running Tip: Adjusting to running in the heat of summer!
Take your time adjusting to running during the warmer summer months! Drink plenty of fluids, and then some and make sure you replace fluids after your run. Remember that mornings are always cooler than evenings. Listen to your body and don’t push yourself too hard. It is better to scale back a bit than to exhaust yourself in the heat!
