My mind and body are currently in the process of acclimatizing to heat, the boy’s camp schedule, a dog in “toddler” mode and husband who is frequently traveling. It’s a process.
WEEK OF JUNE 19, 2017
RUNNING
I have been running in nothing but heat and humidity. My schedule is such that I can’t get out to start my run until 9:30 and by then the heat and humidity have risen to horrible degrees that burn my eyes just looking at the numbers. I keep flashing back to August in Omaha 2016 and that final 10k was so unbearably hot, that if I run more in unbearable heat, I will be able to tolerate it better this year. You know, because of this, it’s going to be unseasonably cool this year, right?
Even my sweat is sweating and Star doesn’t even want to lick me.
Tuesday – 3/4 mile repeats before swim | 7 miles | 7:59 pace
Thursday – 10 min on/off speed work before swim | 8.2 miles | 7:38 pace
Saturday – ladder | 9 miles | 7:30 pace
Total = 24.2 miles of heat and humidity
CYCLING
I loved my rides this week because as much as this weather sucks for running, it’s great on the bike. I had a really long ride where I went the wrong way and ended up on a two lane highway (oops!) and even then I still enjoyed the ride. I also had to stop because a gigantic fly got sucked into my helmet and was trying desperately to get out so I stopped and freed him but it was too late. I think he drowned in my hair sweat. What a way to go!
Ominous skies? Don’t care!
Monday – loops of 5 x 3 miles getting progressively faster | 17.2 miles
Wednesday – endurance ride | 41 miles
Thursday – short ride before run and swim | 15 miles
Total = 73.2 miles
SWIMMING
My plan of getting into open water once a week is working out nicely. Obviously this weather is ideal for open water swimming and, after those hot and humid runs I cannot wait to jump in! Of course I’m still nervous being out there by myself but it makes me feel like a super star after each time I just do it.
After posting about how, even though it scares the poop out of me, I still get out and swim in the lake:
My neighbor reminded me of this picture she took, of some prehistoric creature, on the lake last summer:
Up until this point I was only worried about things that were already IN the lake. What are friends for, right? It’s actually just a duck (or so she said) but still…
FUEL
If you follow me on Instagram you KNOW I’ve been indulging in some KNOW Better Foods! If you have never heard of this brand, you’re not alone, but I’ll tell you why you should KNOW Better. Although everything they make is gluten, dairy, wheat, soy, peanut, preservative and grain free, that’s not the reason to love them. The reason is because after I placed an order, this happened:
Wait, what? I message from the founder and then a special delivery? I don’t think I have ever experienced customer service like this and it’s truly awesome. As promised I got my special delivery and I have been enjoying ever since.
I’m going to do an entire post about KNOW Foods and why you need to know them too but, here is a preview and discount code to get you started:
There are actually KNOW Better waffles under there…
[Tweet ” #Ad You should KNOW Better @knowbetterfoods Get started with discount code vitatrain4life and #eatbetter “]
THINGS I LOVE
A local ice cream place chooses a different name for free ice cream everyday. I was completely unaware of this (although not of the place because the ice cream is fantastic!) until a friend tagged me in their Facebook post because the name of the day was VAUGHN! I couldn’t hardly believe it. Obviously this kid gets nothing associated with his name and only has ever even met one other person named Vaughn. He was a tad excited.
And, now that I “liked” them on Facebook and will forever see their posts in my stream because of the mad scientist algorithms of Mark Zuckerberg…I found out the name of the day the very next day was Andrea. That was my mom’s name. Thanks mom.
THINGS I DON’T LOVE AS MUCH
How much Orange Is The New Black season five is sucking. It’s so incredibly bad this season and, although I’m only five or six episodes in, I’ve had enough. I can’t acclimate to the suck factor.
My husband, who never has seen an episode, happened to watch one with me and his comment was perfect. “It just seems silly.” Sadly, it does. Of course I told him how great all the other seasons were but he was unfazed. He also commented on how gross everyone looked but hey, they’re prisoners and they’re rioting…but I kind of also had to agree. Bring me Ray Donovan!
No one wants to see this:
READING
Thank God for books! I just finished The Secret Keeper by Kate Morton, and I cannot believe I almost gave up on it in the beginning. The ending was one of the best I have ever read and it kept me wanting to know more and even go back and read it again. If you read only one book this summer (or in your life), read this one!
I will admit that it is long and sometimes too wordy but at least this woman knows how to write! The imagery and descriptions are really off the charts but I had to bypass some of it because enough already! Most of the time I was listening to it on Audible while walking Star, so I couldn’t really skip around but, it started getting really good toward the middle and had plot twists I never even imagined. Definitely one of the best books I have ever read.
I’m reading Paula Hawkins Into the Water now and it has been intriguing from the start! Hawkins wrote one of my other favorites – Girl on the Train, so I can’t wait to see how this one turns out.
RANDOM QUIZ OF THE WEEK
I found this article in the New York Times and it turned out to be a quiz:
How Much Do You Know About Solving Global Warming? | by Tatiana Schlossberg
Apparently, I know nothing since I got almost all of them wrong!
See if you can get the correct answer to this last one:
I think I answered “waste less water” the first time around. Now I know better…
Crazy right? Tell me if you actually got this answer correct without cheating!
[Tweet “The Rundown is #acclimating to #heat, #kids, solo parenting and more! #train4life”]
How was your week? Did you have to train in the heat?
Are you acclimating to anything?
Are you watching OITNB?
I love that Vaughn got free ice cream. Oddly enough, I know one other person named Vaughn…and he’s a twin! Must be a twin thing! The humidity has been ridiculous this week but I’m embracing it fully. It won’t be here forever and like you said, it will help later on!
That is so weird…and cool. I will tell him and he will love it.
I know the heat will help in the fall but Lord does it suck right now!
The kid that I had a crush on in first grade had the last name of Vaughn. Does that count? ;D We are still loving our weather up here, sorry not sorry. And just think of how much faster you will go in your open wter swims if there is the threat from both above and below the surface. KICK FAST KICK FAST
That is too funny about your first crush and YES! I love how you think for the swim!!
Just when I thought I was getting acclimated to the heat, wah-wah, it’s cool now. Do I have to re-acclimate once it warms back up?
I stopped OITNB after Season 3–it just kind of jumped off the rails at that point. I was disappointed because I was looking for my next addiction after Breaking Bad. Now I’m waiting for Season 7 of Shameless to be on Netflix (my son tells me its there now….)
Loved The Secret Keeper. Didn’t love Into the Water but I also didn’t love Girl on the Train, so maybe it’s the author?
Oh no! Seriously? I would take the cool temps and try to enjoy them but yes, it’s hard to go back and forth.
I agree OITNB went off the rails a tad after season 3 but season 4 was really good. I guess I’m done now 🙁 I have never seen Shameless but I always here good things so maybe I’ll check it out!
You didn’t love Into the Water???? Really?? But, I guess if you didn’t like Girl on the Train that makes sense but I’m still surprised. At least we agree on The Secret Keeper 🙂
I need to acclimate to having two kids around for the next uhh 8 weeks? Mommy camp is in session!! (save me please) OITNB is awful. I’m pushing through because I just want it to end. The crazy part is that I never used to be able to multitask while watching and now I write entire posts when it’s on my TV. Not captivating at ALL. ugh.
Oh LAWD!!! Good luck with that!! Call your mom for reinforcements!! 🙂
And I found myself doing the exact same thing – multitasking through OITNB. So disappointing.
We had a heat wave this weekend but our temps are in Celcius, so I didn’t really know how it compared to you guys down there until I converted it to F on my phone. I ran in 91 degrees yesterday! I think most people think that it’s not that hot up here–but it is! We have no air conditioning either, because it’s not the thing to do for some reason. A few rich people have it, but most people have those box-type window A/C units that take up a tonne of space and hijack the window. I’d do anything for one of those right now though. It’s hot AF and I can’t sleep.
I’d freak out if a fly got stuck in my helmet/hair! I got the garage door opener stuck in my hair yesterday when I sneezed, and THAT was bad. It happens more than I’d like to admit.
OMG! 91 degrees and no A/C? You win. I mean, I guess you lose but you win when it comes to hot. Holy hell woman.
And I’m dying with the hair catching on the garage door opener!!! That is why I have short hair!
I’m slogging through OITNB but I’m just biding my time until Game of Thrones starts again! I feel like I read The Secret Keeper but I’m going to check to make sure. Thank goodness for Goodreads – otherwise I’d keep picking the same books to read over and over again!
My husband and I really want to watch Game of Thrones but we feel like there’s too many seasons to get through!!
And I do that ALL the time with books. I’m so glad I’m not the only one 🙂
Ooooh boy the puppy-toddler phase! I swear Ollie has been stuck in that phase since we got him. His current thing is shredding toilet paper! But Star is just so darn cute I can’t picture her being that naughty. 🙂
We had a heat wave this week and apparently I need to acclimate to sunshine. I got roasted just being outside for lunch and a walk – and I had some sunscreen on! Hopefully you get a bit of respite from this humidity and that it does mean an unseasonably cool race – better than training in the cool and racing humid!
Star is SO naughty!! We keep every single door in our house closed because she will chew on whatever she finds, including toilet paper! I seriously hope this phase ends at some point or I will cry!! But, she is such a love so it totally makes up for it.
And I can imagine your porcelain skin in the sun all of a sudden!! Cover up woman 🙂
Oh, I sooo feel your pain with the heat and humidity. The Tampa weather kills me every year, and as I get older, it just gets harder. Looking forward to racing on the Cape in July because that would not happen down here. Last summer I spent my time running on the dreadmill and nearly lost it. I hate that thing!
Love the Global Warming quiz! As an engineer for a well-known A/C company, we are updated on refrigerants all of the time. It’s amazing how much damage they cause the environment. We are always researching new refrigerants with a lower global warming potential. Love Mother Earth!
Girl – I cannot even image the insanity of training in Tampa in the summer. Wow. The Cape is such a great spot for a summer race! We will be there in July (but I’m not racing) and looking forward to running and biking in the ocean breeze 🙂
So interesting that you are an engineer for an A/C company and so happy to hear the company is updated on refrigerants. I seriously had no clue it was such an issue. Love Mama Earth for sure!!
This is just too much! I live in 10000 percent humidity and heat of 99 degrees pretty much year round so I had to laugh. Hard. I’m laughing mainly because these days I sweat no matter what. The question is how much. I really don’t care and this should bother me. I should care. But if being a hot sweaty mess is wrong for 30-45 min a day then I don’t wanna be right!!
I stopped watching OITNB after season 2. That’s how easily bored and fickle I am. Sorry. GOT and Homeland and HoC. Only so many hours in the week.. first fucking world problems lol.
Refridgereants???? Omfg smacking face
Ok, so as for the heat, you know I’m a slave to the treadmill unfortunately, so I have a hard time acclimating when I actually do get to run outside. I try to at least run my long runs outside if at all possible and now that my treadmill is busted, I’ll be acclimating more than I’d like and have to get creative on how to actually do them outside with the kids. Uggh. So OITNB…I watched the first 2 seasons, but just could not get into it. I’ve tried many times to re-watch to see if I was missing something and nope, just don’t get it. Sorry!
Love the ice cream story!
It was so great! And, they had their first experience at Sundae School a few weeks ago. Great tradition! Love you Jane!