Long Run #7

Finishing up my 20 miles on my Garmin at the White Water Center on Saturday morning, I felt like I could go another 3 or 4 miles. That's what happens when the weather changes for the better. With the temperature in the mid 60s and a much milder humidity level, my body finally felt like running again.

To digress for a moment, Bobby and I were discussing how the heat and humidity seems to affect us more now a couple of weeks ago.  

Push the humidity up to 70, 80, or 90%, and going for easy run feels more like the last few miles of a marathon. Legs feel heavy and lethargic. Only sheer will power and muscle memory keeps them going when everything screams to slow down or stop.

One thing that I have noticed as I have gotten older, I sweat more. Not just a little, but a lot. May be my body through years of running had just adapted. However, I feel like the increased sweating is a double edged sword. Yes, sweating helps keep me cooler, but sweating also means that I am losing water – lots of it. More than I can put back during any run. This in and of itself can turn a decent run into a long slow march to the finish.

But enough about the effects of the summer heat and humidity. Fall is in the air. This means cooler temperatures, plenty of road races, and fall marathon.

So take advantage of this great weather and hit the roads or the trails.

As long as you are moving, nothing else is important.

The Cool Down Runner