Running in Florida in the Summer

Three and half weeks since my last run and consequent post. I did a couple laps around Lake Eola around 5pm today. No pain... except in my lungs. It is really too hot to run in Florida during the summer. It doesn't seem to stop the YMCA runners from their Monday runs. I see them go by my apartment. I figure if they are stupid enough to tough it out, then I can, too.

I knew it was hot and humid, but I didn't really notice it until I stopped running. When we run (excluding the treadmill), we create our own wind. It's nice. When the sweat rolls down your forehead to your eyebrow and then down the side of your cheeks, you feel its natural cooling effects. As soon as you stop running, your self created wind is gone. On a day like today, there wasn't a breeze. The wall of air just hit me.

What the heck was I doing? It's a good thing my office is located across the street from Lake Eola. I made a dart for the door and the air conditioning. I hate running early in the morning, but I know why people do it.

Running after the Rain

We had a wicked storm roll through this afternoon. I was with friends at Flagler Beach today. For dog owners out there, this is the closest beach to Orlando that you can take your dog. That's how I found it. Dogs are allowed in Flagler County and that is the first exit on 95 once you pass the county line.

So as we are finishing up ice cream cones, a tornado warning comes over the radio waves. We look inland and North and the sky is twisting around and turning black. We head to 95 and just get out of there. We cruise pretty fast southbound to I-4 to outrace the storm and get back home to Orlando. Once home, I had time to stop by 7 Eleven to drop off a redbox rental and go to Publix for some dinner supplies.

We get home and the storm hits. I waited till after dinner and for the rain to stop to get out on my run. I haven't run in a week... maybe more.

Either way, my legs were fresh. A little burnt, but fresh.

I didn't waste too much time to open up my stride, but I felt like I wasn't getting good turnover. My knee lift on the front end was weak and my kick was too low.

I had to get in motion. I started pushing off and really trying to feel my buttocks with each stride. I started moving forward a little better. I didn't change my turnover rate, just my form. After about 30 seconds of that, I added some knee lift to the front of my strides and just a little kick and I started moving faster... probably in the 7 to 8 minute range without a whole lot of effort.

Proper form does so much.

I couldn't help myself from quickening my turnover. Ruins me every time. After I got about a mile into my 2.5 mile run, I was going all out. It felt great, though, because the rain had just stopped and it was cool. About 78 degrees. That's cool for Orlando right now. We've been up in the mid 90's lately.

So yeah, I only got a quarter mile covered going all out. It felt like the speed that I used to run the mile in high school which is good, except it was only a quarter mile. I walked a little due to the cramping in my back. I've got to figure that spot out. Why do I keep cramping in my mid back on the sides?

Anyway. I went back and forth between all out running and walking until I got home and finished my 2.5 miles.

I am going to feel this tomorrow morning... along with some sunburn. Ouch!

Running and Bronchitis

Running and Bronchitis don't mix well. It's not exactly a Rum and Coke or anything with Pepperoni and Mozzarella. Well, my lungs were like mozzarella. Maybe a little more to the yellow side of things, but definitely gooey.

I haven't run in a couple of weeks. I went out Saturday early evening and logged an easy 2.5 miles. I wanted to see what I could handle. Would my lungs be too hard pressed for oxygen? Would my legs be jello after 2 weeks off? Not too bad really. I jogged it. I was probably doing 12 minute miles. I felt great. I did feel one of my toes get irritated during the run, but not painful. When I got home, my runner's toe was just about to fall off.

Tonight before I started another run, I pulled off the dead toenail. What's underneath is fairly hardened already, but it's black. Which means I will continue to go through this toenail on, toenail off thing. Oh well. It doesn't hurt.

I did an out and back which I had never run before. It finished raining just prior, so it was nice and cool. Probably in the mid-70s. That's cool for Florida, folks! It felt like I ran around 10 minute pace. It took 44 minutes. No warmup; no stretching. After looking up my route on gmap-pedometer.com, it appears that I ran 4.5 miles. That means my pace was 9:46 per mile. That's pretty close guessing especially considering I haven't run in 2 weeks and I haven't used a watch while running in 6 months or more.

I wish I could run 8 minute miles that effortlessly. Well, my breathing was never hampered by coughing up phlegm balls and I didn't feel asthmatic, so I think I'm on my way to healthy. I may not be ready for speed work, but I don't have any races lined up anytime soon, so steady miles will do for now.

Pre Motivation

I ripped my 1981 classic U2 album October today and loaded it onto my Sanso mp3 player. It's old music, but new to my running. I warmed up to Gloria, which isn't very long and took off on my 2.5 mile jaunt when I Fall Down started. I finished my run at 3:46 of Tomorrow, so my total time was 19:48 for the 2 and a half miles. That's a 7:55 pace.

It felt like I was running a little faster than that, but I haven't run in a week. I need to get some mile repeats in a workout to better judge my time.

Great run up until about 1.75 miles when I started getting that mid back cramp again. This time I only got it on the right side. I kept pushing through it. Here's why and how...

I just got a free poster of Steve Prefontaine from Athletes for a Cure. His quote on the poster reads, "A lot of people run a race to see who is fastest. I run to see who has the most guts."

Quite an inspirational quotation. I wish he lived longer. It's weird. I have this vision that I would have liked to have known him as a track superstar when I was in high school. He would have been a great role model I think. I used to watch Steve Scott run the mile on TV. And Eamonn Coughlan and another Irish indoor runner that I can't recall his name now.

Anyway... I pushed through the cramp in my back and when I picked it up on the last quarter mile, I got a sticker on my right side, but in the front... so my right side is totally in pain. Glad it was over.

Feeling Good

I was pressed for time Friday afternoon, but I really wanted to squeeze in a run. I started off slow like I normally do, except the time factor crept into my mind after about 100 yards. I usually don't get up to speed until I am at least 1 mile into my run.

I just took off like I used to... back in my school days. I didn't think about my breathing, my legs being stiff, or my pace. I got about half a mile and had to slow down. My breathing couldn't keep up with the oxygen demand created by my legs. I took it slow for about 100 yards, but never stopped. I took off again for another half mile until I got slight cramps in my mid back on each side. Right around my kidneys, but figure it had to be muscle since it seemed to stop as soon as I slowed down and stretched my arms out in each direction. Still didn't stop. Slowed down, but didn't stop. Again, I did this for about 100 yards. I took off and got the cramps again, but more intense this time. I still got my half mile in, but had to slow down to a turtle's pace for 100 yards. Started to fly once more, but this time the cramps got the best of me after about a quarter mile.

I slowed down and jogged a little over a quarter mile and then walked in the last quarter. I did the whole 2.5 miles in 23 minutes. It doesn't reflect how fast I was going when I was running my fastest, but I felt so good. I felt free. Unconfined by pace. It was like a fartlek workout even though I didn't have it mind when I set out on my run.

Speedwork on the Track

Started with an easy 2 miles around Lake Eola. My knees were a little stiff and I definitely needed the longer than usual warmup. Did a few quick stretches and I was ready to go.

The plan was, as usual... shortened by my lack of will power, to run 4 x 880 @ 3:30 with 440 recovery jogs. I ended running 3 x 880 at that speed.

It was a good workout regardless of whether I achieved by goal. It was hot out there today, which made it hard to breathe. It's Florida. What can you do?

All in all, I ran 4.25 miles.

5 miles tonight

I started off easy around 10 minute pace for the first mile and eased into a comfortable pace around 8 minutes per mile. Even though it got more difficult to keep the pace, I kept it up until the last quarter mile when I slowed down to a jog to cool down a little. It was a good 5 mile run around Lake Ivanhoe with a nice breeze. It is now a few hours later and my calves and butt are sore.