Talk about a tail tale of two runs. This past weekend, I was going to go for a 10 mile run. It was harsh. This morning I was going for a 4 mile run. It was radical.
I know there are a ton of factors that go into a good/bad run. But I’m giving the edge in these ones to the weather.
The other day it was windy, humid and near 90 degrees. This morning it was windy, humid and 54 degrees! Thank you cold chilly front!
The other day I got my ten miles in, but it was sweaty and laborious. This morning I got my four miles in and it was less sweaty and glorious. I only wish it wasn’t a school day so that I could have kept running!
I know there’s nothing you can do about the weather – you gotta run anyways. And they don’t often cancel races for the conditions (unless it’s extreme).
In fact, at the 2012 Disney Marathon, they had a warm hot front come through and so they had to put up these signs everywhere…
Awww, but runDisney, I wanted to PR!
The heat and humidity of that race caused me to finish about 45 minutes slower than I wanted to. I was bummed. I felt like I had done all that training for not knot naught.
Despite my finger I didn’t actually finish in first place. Yes, I was a bit sweaty.
I was so bummed that while drowning in a post race celebratory beer (oxymoron?), I tweeted to Actor, Runner, Hobbit – Sean Astin asking for advice. To my surprise, he tweeted back.
Puts it in perspective.
I realized he was right. I got to run a marathon. I got to do it outside. It’s a good thing. So now I always try to remember that when ever the conditions don’t cooperate – it’s still a good thing what I’m doing. Just hope that the next time it will be better.
And for now I’m going to hope this little freaky fall-in-spring weather we got today will stick around…at least long enough for my run tomorrow.
How bout you? How do you handle changing weather conditions (weird fact, I tend to get random bloody noses when the seasons change – attractive, huh?)? Any celeb twitter interactions recently?
-Scott
ps. looking back, this post may have been partially inspired by Salt. She’s freaking out about her upcoming race. She’s got nothing to fear tho!
Piratebobcat 
I just do the best I can in whatever conditions I’m dealt. Although, I think it’s far easier dealing with crappy summer conditions than, say, a blizzard!
Haha, yes, I agree! We did get a couple ice storms this winter, but that only kept us off the roads a couple times, not like the crazy winters you get!
Ohhh, the weather was above 90 degrees today and tomorrow will be another icky, sweaty one!!! It takes a few runs for my body to adjust to the heat!! It definitely zaps my energy!!
Sorry about your heat. We’ll be right back there with you (and then some any minute now). I agree, it does take some time to adjust. I was trying to do that when we got this cold front, so it’s a great gift!
83 + swamp like humidity yesterday. Today 60, 0% humidity. What the deuce?!?! I’m with you. And (like Ms. Salt who is going to RULE her marathon!) I am tapering. Which means one “meh” run makes me pop a Xanax. Deep breathes.
Oh! And I did have a couple of cocktails next to Sabrina the Teenage Witch, aka Melissa Joan Hart a few weeks ago. No joke. I swear. I think we could be friends. Does that count?
What the deuce indeed!!! Good luck with your taper. Don’t worry about the bad runs, we don’t need you offing yourself before your race! Yes, deep cleansing breaths!
Whaaa, really? So when you say you had drinks ‘next to her’ – were you just creeping up next to her and standing uncomfortably close? Either way, yes, it counts and yes you’ll bee BFF’s soon!
She was with her hot husband and beautiful child at the table next to me. Eating. Like a totally normal human being. She’s a cool, down to earth cat. Of course I was all—- OH SNAP. IS THAT SABRINA THE TEENAGE WITCH?!?!?!?
Subtly clearly is not my strong point. 🙂
You mean nobody was pre-chewing her food for her?!?!
Haha, oh snap! I should’ve said that when I ran into Biz Markie at an airport once, but I didn’t think to. I BLEW IT!
Yes, you’re as subtle as a third arm. (I don’t know if that’s a saying or not, just came to me)
The twin hits just keep on coming. I’m a random between-seasonal bloodynoser as well. TMI all around.
I love this. Especially the bit about your Sean Astin tweet. Because not only is that badass, but he has such a good point. I never realized how inspirational he was!
Ew, seriously, so gross. Ha, so much twinsies!
Yes, Sean was supposed to be running the race too, but had to pull out at the last minute, so I knew it was on his radar. Yes, he’s into inspiring runners – He does a thing called Run3rd – check it out!
I have been known to cry through a hot run. “What could I do 10 yesterday and not 3 today? What is wrong with me?” Slowing it down really does help but is tough on the ego. So cool that Sean Astin responded!
Ha, I can just imagine seeing you running down the street with tears streaming down. I’d have to look at you sideways if I saw it in person. Haha. Yeah, slowing down probably would’ve helped, but I’m stubborn and was trying to keep a faster pace. Yes, very cool of him!
It definitely sucks to have our time so influenced by weather, and it shakes my running self-esteem, even after so many years of running. Salt is such a badass…
Yeah, I read somewhere that it slows you down like so many seconds per mile for ever 5 degrees warmer it gets. So deflating. Oh well, we march on!
Yes she is, and she’s only been running a year, I hate her.
I have to admit I do have a bad habit of shuffling my runs around a bit because of weather – not rain/ cold so much, but humidity/ icy for sure.
With ice I’m clearly worried about falling flat on my @$$, and with humidity my concern is that I’ll have such a horrible, terrible, miserable, no good run that I’ll NEVER WANT TO RUN AGAIN! (Honestly, after Tower of Terror 2012 that really almost happened!) The way I look at it is I’m supposed to be doing this because I enjoy it (not because I’m a pro or on a college scholarship and HAVE to), so I’d rather not force myself into a situation I’m really going to be miserable in. I can always make up the run another day, or a missed run really isn’t going to kill me! (Did that rambling make ANY sense at all?!?)
P.S. – can I use your “Yoga is for Running” picture from your previous post? Credit of course! : )
I try to keep a steady schedule, but I sometimes move things around too. You should definitely take icy conditions into consideration! I do know tho that pretty soon it’s going to be Texas summer and all my runs will have to be before the sun comes up.
Hahaha, you really hate humidity! Funny that you keep signing up for all those Disney races in muggy ole Florida. 😉
That’s a good point about not forcing yourself to do it if you’re not going to enjoy it. My first love is soccer. I’ve played it since I was 3 or 4. But my senior year of high school I quit because I was so burned out (my h.s. team did 3-a-day practices in the off season – 5:30 am to sunset). I eventually got my mojo back and still occasionally play in local leagues. So yes, it totally makes sense!
Thanks for asking…Of course you can use it!
Haha, yup. I REALLY hate humidity! I do love Disney though… : )
Me too, I wish I had a sponsor to pay for their races tho! 😉
How cool that Sean Astin tweeted you! And with great advice.
I cannot deal with heat and humidity. Lucky Utah has a dry heat and it’s usually nice and cool in the mornings (mountain desert for the win!).
I know, right! He was supposed to be running the race, but had a last minute conflict. Drew Carey was there tho, but he didn’t respond to my tweet to him. No worries, I got to meet Drew a few years ago and have a great picture with him. Ha!
Don’t come run in Texas then, ha! You’re lucky to have that kind of weather to run in! (and enjoy patio drinks)
Love the tweet you got back from Sean Astin. I haven’t had any cool celebrity tweets, but I’ve also been too scared to tweet any celebrities..
The weather is one of those super frustrating things that you have absolutely no control over! I don’t like not having control. But I guess being fortunate enough to run outside and have access to natural elements to deal with is pretty cool in and of itself!
Yes, it was very cool of him! Don’t be scared – worst that can happen is that they won’t respond (but I don’t blame them, they get TONS). Just don’t creep them out with what you write tho – haha!
Yeah, there’s nothing you can do about it, so just make the best of it! You’re right, enjoy being outdoors and hug a tree if you can!
We’re having a heat wave here. It’s suspected to hit over 100 in my home town, and my nice, coastal, beach work town hit 90+ today! It’s only May, I hate the treadmill but something tells me I may be doing some summer runs there 😦
Oh no, already?!?! Ouch! I’ve run on the treadmill when the roads are icy, but I’ll deal with the heat. It just means I have to get up super early before the sun does. Those days are coming….
Heat? What’s heat again? You mean there’s weather other than rain, wind and cloud?
Haha, I will gladly take some of your rain here. Drought conditions are not fun – enjoy your wet stuff!
Weather can play such a huge factor in a run! Now wind can play an even bigger factor on the bike! Last year I stalked the weather every weekend when I had to fit in a long run and bike and juggle which I did on what day depending on winds!
This year, I’m just waiting for the heat to come 🙂
Oh wow, that’s crazy! It’s windy here a lot! And road biking is really popular around these parts. I never thought about it affecting them. But I don’t feel too bad for them, they have wheels! Ha, whenever I see them on the hills, I’m always jealous that they can go down them without having to pedal.
We’ve got plenty of heat down here most of the year, if you want some… 😉
Sean Astin is so cool! I always slow down in the heat, luckily we don’t have humidity.
Yeah, seems like a good guy! We’re not as humid as say, Florida, but it can get fairly muggy here. And you’re not alone, heat has definitely slowed down many a runner!
I will pretty much never complain about being cold but I am a huuuuuge baby about the 95 degrees and super humid typical Virginia summer. I just try to go super early and/or I cheat and do 1/3 of my runs inside to get some relief.
Ha, I used to prefer the heat, until I became a such a runner. Now I still hate the cold, but I wish for it for my runs!
I’m with you, pretty soon the Texas summer will force me to go running before the sun comes up!
The heat will do that. I’m some what of an expert since we live it here in AZ lol. The heat will kick your ass no matter how much hydrating you’ve done. All I try to do is run through it.
Celeb interactions- I did a blogger interview with pro ultra runner Sage Canaday and I was totally geekiest out about it lol. Then he posted it in his twitter account.
Ha, I hear you! I’ve been to AZ several times and I would go on runs while visiting. One time it was 115 and my sweat would evaporate right away, so I was bone dry. That kind of scared me.
Very cool! Nice of him to do that!
I think I just tend to whine a lot about the weather. And then if the race is a disaster, I wine about it, if you know what I’m saying.
You are totally wining! (Ha, yes I get it!)
I would gladly share some of the Colorado cold-front with Texas. I am wafting it your way. It might get stuck in Oklahoma though… During the Disney Princess Half this year those same signs were up in full force, and coming from dry coolness, to muggy warmth, it was a good reminder of what to expect! But as you put it, I got to run outside, in Disney no less!
Thanks for your efforts. It didn’t work though as it’s warming back up this weekend. Yeah, it’s tough training in winter only to get to Florida and have it be all hot and muggy. Oh well, the Disney races are fun, like you said!
“Always another race.” = pretty much the best advice ever.
Truth! It helps to see the big picture sometimes.
What great advice! I just try to plan accordingly. For one of my half marathons it was raining for most of it. I knew I was going to be stepping carefully because of slippage and I knew it would be colder once we got all wet. Still hard to remember that in the moment though. And I learned a lesson (after the race) from wise Pirate Scott, never throw away gloves…
Thanks Amy! Ahh yes, I remember that. Freezing rain is HORRIBLE to run in. Yes FrostedAmy, NEVER throw away your gloves!!!!! 😉
I learned my lesson!!! NEVER AGAIN!
Never forget! Haha
I hate running in heat and humidity – it usually ends with me feeling sick. I have to slow down a ton, and tend to walk a whole lot more than I usually would. If possible, for my long runs on weekends, I’ll swap the days to keep the run on a cooler/cloudier day. I prefer cooler/colder temps for running (even winter, though not with snow or ice, since I’m a klutz). Haha… I’m pretty picky about the weather I prefer to run in 😉
That’s super cool that Sean you replied to your tweet! I’ve never tweeted a celebrity, but I imagine getting a RT or reply would be awesome.
Oh I’m with you! I hate hate hate cold weather, unless I’m running, then I like it to be a bit chilly. But unfortunately in Texas, we don’t have much choice but to run in the heat/humidity. Smart of you to take advantage of cloudy days. I find myself running in shaded areas in the summers here. Also, we have to get up super early to try and get the run in before the sun beats down on us.
Yes, it was a nice surprise! It really helped me put things in perspective. I did once get a RT from another celeb, and man, that made my twitter blow up with likes and retweets – but it only lasted that day, haha.
Once again, I’m super behind in reading my blogs! But I ran 6 miles in the 90 degree heat yesterday and it was tough. I have a feeling I’m going to spend more time on the dreadmil this summer than I thought if I want to keep the same schedule. And not die of heatstroke.
Ouch! We’ve had a rare mild spring so far, but I know the Texas summer is coming. Gotta get used to it I guess. Hopefully you’ll be able to get outside for some runs!