Marathon Training - Week Two - Did I Just Swim that Seven-Mile Run?

Before I get into this post, I will throw out there that I know, fully understand, and compassionately acknowledge that it is incredibly hot and humid around the entire country right now. That said, if I make mention of the fact that running in Florida in the Summer can be a ridiculously hot (and/or humid) endeavor, you don't need to send me the "it's as hot here as it is in Florida" message...I know it is, and I'm sorry you're going through it.

I actually had a conversation with a business colleague / runner from the Midwest the other day, and he let me know that I must be crazy to run in and to deal with this type of heat all Summer, every Summer. While I didn't argue against my own propensity for being a bit nutty, I did point out that once November rolls around and we get that first "cool" (well, cooler) morning, it's typically pretty nice running weather here for about five months...not too brisk (although we do have freezes in North Florida), not too hot (well, most of the time anyway).

But that certainly isn't the case right now, in the midst of the third week of my marathon training schedule. This time of year in Florida, as a runner, you pretty much have three options...

1. Run before the sun rises or as it is rising...temp is a little bit lower in the pre-dawn dark (mid 70s), but the humidity is higher (90% to 95%)
2. Run as the sun is setting...temp is higher than morning (low 80s), but the humidity is lower (70% to 80%)
3. Run in the sun...and melt. (This choice is not recommended)

I actually go with the first option. While the humidity is ridiculously high, having the temperatures in the 70s (at least at the start of the run) seems less uncomfortable than having temperatures in the 80s. Either way, it's uncomfortable...but for me the early run gets the nod over the late one.

Which brings me to last week's really earlier-than-the-normal-6:00am run. On Friday of Week Two, I had a seven-mile run on the docket, and knowing that I was going to run at a "training" pace of 12:00 per mile, I knew that I'd be looking at about an hour and a half on the pavement. Thus, in order to minimize the heat, I got up at 4:50, drank a good amount of water, ate a CLIF bar, filled up my hydration belt, and got on the road by 5:30.

At around 7:00am - and 7.10 running miles later - I walked back in my front door and looked (and felt) like I had just gone for a seven-mile swim rather than run. My clothes were soaked, my body was drenched, my fingers were pruned, and what I needed more than anything was a towel...well, and a shower.

But here's the deal. It felt pretty damned satisfying to walk in that door knowing that I had battled not only the run but also the weather that's not really all that conducive to running. It felt good to go to bed and get up early for no other reason than to pound the pavement, to train for a marathon. It felt good knowing that this was the first of many longer runs that I will be undertaking in the heat of this Florida Summer (and Fall). In short, it felt good to be, well, a runner.

Here's the recap of the entire second week, as well as where I am and where I'm heading with the third...

Marathon Training - Week Two (July 8 - July 14)
Monday - 5.10 Mile Run (10:54 Pace)
Tuesday - Stationary Bike (45 Mins, Hills, Level 7), Abs (4 Exercises, 3 x 12 Reps)
Wednesday - 4.12 Mile Run (10:33 Pace)
Thursday - Stationary Bike (45 Minutes, Hills, Level 7), 30-Minute Cybex Circuit
Friday - 7.10 Mile Run (12:01 Pace)
Saturday - OFF
Sunday - Family Run of  2.77 Miles

Total Miles on the Pavement - 21.06 Miles (Includes Warm Up and Cool Down Walks)

Total Marathon Training Miles - 40.55


Marathon Training - Week Three (July 15 - July 21)
Monday - 4.10 Mile Run (10:30 Pace) - COMPLETE
Tuesday - Stationary Bike (45 Mins, Hills, Level 7), Abs (4 Exercises, 3 x 12 Reps) - COMPLETE
Wednesday - 5.15 Mile Run (10:35 Pace) - COMPLETE
Thursday - Stationary Bike (45 Minutes, Hills, Level 7), 30-Minute Cybex Circuit
Friday - 3 Mile Run
Saturday - OFF
Sunday - Family Run


So this week is a little lighter than last, but that only means that Week Four will be all the more interesting. We'll get into that in next week's post, though.

Until then, enjoy your journey...