Sunday, April 26, 2015

Making Peace

Bobble Head Award

I had no business running a 5k Saturday morning.  My quads were the most sore they've ever been after a half marathon.  The huge blister on the ball of my right foot?  Still there and very painful.

I told a friend I would run...and so I did.

Saturday morning dawned with rumbles of thunder.  A huge storm system was rolling through.  Thankfully, the rain stopped just before race time.  But, you guessed it  --  100% humidity, 75 degrees, no breeze.  My mindset was not the best and my time reflected that.



The storm apparently kept most people from participating.  I came away with 3rd place overall female.  Was my time worthy of an overall award?  Absolutely not.  But when people ask me about placing in races, I always say the first rule is to simply show up.


Shame on me for not racing with a better attitude!


I've decided to make peace with the humidity {...om...om...}.  After all, it will be a part of my life for the next six months or longer.  I need to just grow a pair...of gills, that is.  No one wants to read about how humid my runs are and I don't want to write about it.  "I will not stress over things I can't control."  {Repeat}

I can control my attitude.  Saturday afternoon I went to check on a sick family member.  Talk about a much needed jolt of perspective.  I am healthy.  I can bathe myself.  I can walk unassisted.  Heck, I can even run!  I will NOT take that for granted ever again, humidity be damned.

I can also control the effort I put into running.  As long as I give it everything I have, it will be fine.  My pace may not be the number I want, but as long as the effort is there the pace will naturally be lower in better conditions.

On Sunday, I finally tried out my purchase of a 12 oz. Amphipod handheld bottle.  This is the best I've used so far!  It did not leak and you can actually squeeze the bottle, which I like to do.  (Hard plastic bottles don't allow me to do that and then I must tip my head way back to drink.)  It has a nice roomy pocket and the fit is adjustable.  It was very comfortable on my hand.  If someone could just omit the sloshing sound?  Wishful thinking.



Sunday's plan was a maintenance run of 6 miles.  But, my elephantine blister was having none of that!  At mile 4, we came home for a little surgery.  {...om...om...}


So that was my weekend.  Any tips for the humidity?



Please visit Tara the gracious host of the Weekend Update as well as all participating bloggers.


43 comments:

  1. Congrats on the 3rd place overall! Hey... even if the time is not what you think deserves that spot, it's all about who shows up!

    I need to adopt your attitude about humidity about the wind (and the humidity we'll have here, soon). No one wants to hear us b*tch about it over and over, right?! My only humidity tips are to slow down and know it'll make you a faster runner, later. Kind of sucks, right, since it's there for so long?!

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    1. It is all about who shows up! And I did. I'm going to do my BEST not to talk about the humidity. LOL

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  2. CONGRATULATIONS on the 3rd place! That is awesome! It is SO true that the first rule is simply to show up. Way to push through that awful humidity and the blister!

    YES on realizing how much we are blessed with in being able to walk, run, bathe ourselves, feed ourselves, etc. You never realize how valuable these things are until you see folks that are unable to do them. =(

    Glad you found a handheld water bottle that works for you!!! I am with you on wishing we could somehow get rid of the sloshing noise/sensation, though. =)

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    1. I don't like the sloshing sound! I'm trying a Camel Bak next. I bet they don't slosh much.

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  3. Way to go on your 5K run!! Even with the blister and the pain you did an awesome job!! Your rule to simply show up is a great one! Have a wonderful week!

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    1. Thanks. I've never had a blister this bad. I don't understand it.

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  4. Congrats on 3rd female. Hope you got a great award. Humidity sucks the life out of runners, but when cool fall weather comes around, speed is often better from summer training. I agree that sometimes showing up is the victory for local races. I volunteered on Saturday at a local race and honestly the runners were no very fast. But I am always happy to volunteer since others are out for me when I race.

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    1. The overall female had a fast time, but the rest of us...not so much. I need to volunteer.

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  5. Congrats. How exciting. And of course, you deserved it. I re-injured my foot - I think it's calluses combined with a blister or 2.

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    1. I cannot believe how painful this blister is. It is slightly better today.

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  6. For a long time I stopped participating in our Grand Prix Series because I would say that it didn't matter because I'd never win anything; one of my great running friends said, "you'll never know unless you show up!" Truer words, right? I LOVE that you won an award! Way to go, H!

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    1. A very wise friend! You never know. Sometimes I think I might place and don't come anywhere close.

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  7. That is great! You did show up and even though it may not have been your best race you still got another one under your belt! Love the attitude and I hope it will rub off on me as your right it is here for the next 6 months or so! Yay for cooler weather running. I'm already going into half withdrawals..... :)

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    1. Yeah, I'm going to miss my half marathons too. My plan is to work hard through the humidity and hope it pays off in the Fall.

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  8. That's how I was with our bad winter. Nothing I could do about it but to embrace it! And it's so true to put things in perspective. To be healthy let alone to be able to run is something to be grateful for. Thanks for the reminder!

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    1. You ran in VERY frigid conditions. I don't have to deal with anything lower than the upper 20's But if you add wind, that's pretty cold for me.

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  9. Great job for showing up and congrats on 3rd place:)
    I know a lot of people have a hard time acclimating and some can run in humidity and others can't. I haven't run much in it, fortunately I am okay with it. But I do remember my first time in FL in it, and I'll be honest it took almost 5 miles into the marathon to get used to it, and figure it out. However, if I am going to pick, I'd pick our dry desert heat out here anytime! Maybe you should plan a race in Utah:)
    Great job, and you are so right, you never know if you don't show up and try!

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    1. I've looked several times at the REVEL Big Cottonwood in Salt Lake City. I like downhill courses. Just doing a little daydreaming.

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  10. Yikes...sorry to hear about that blister! Well done on your race and placing third!!

    I love your idea about trying to control your attitude and to not stress out over the things you can't control. Have a great week!

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    1. Thanks! I'm really trying to change my mindset.

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  11. Nice work on the award! Awesome! I wish I had tips on the humidity but I really struggle in the hot and humid conditions, too. I try not to keep the house overly air conditioned, thinking that I will acclimate a bit, but husband doesn't always agree :)

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    1. I haven't found anything that helps, except slow down. Ha ha. My husband and I never agree on what the temperature should be! I wear a hoodie in the house all summer.

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  12. I like your rule about just showing up - so true! Congrats on the third place and bobble-head award!

    I despise humidity, and we have our fair share here in Virginia, but I'm sure it's nothing compared to what you have to deal with. I'm just afraid we're going to go from a cold spring right into the heat and humidity.

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    1. Unfortunately, we don't get much of a spring. We've had so much rain and that has just added to it.

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  13. Congrats on 3rd place- that bobble head is hilarious. It hasn't been too humid yet... but I know I will need an attitude readjustment real soon... going to hit us so quickly!

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    1. Actually, the bobble head looks a little freaky.

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  14. Congrats on your placement! A well-deserved award for showing up :). We're pretty dry here, except for a couple months out of the year, and I have yet to find a way to deal with even those couple of months, except as you said, mind over matter :)

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    1. I race a lot during the winter to take advantage of the weather. Get it when you can.

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  15. Nice job placing!!! The one time I placed in my AG at a 5K, it was the tiniest race ever. My time wasn't even a PR. At first, I felt like I needed to justify it to everyone and say "I placed, BUT it was such a small race!" And then I was like...you know what? Nope. I'm just going to own it, because I worked hard no matter what! Own that placement!! :)

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    1. Thank you. It was a tough race regardless of whether there were 5 or 5000 others.

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  16. Way to endure the humidity and storm and rock an overall 3!!! You just never know. How great you found a handheld you like! A summer necessity for sure.

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    1. I don't mind a handheld but I still don't like the sloshing sound. I guess you eventually get accustomed to it.

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  17. Congrats on being 3rd place overall female! I covered my feet in Trail Toes when I ran the 50 mile race through rain and humidity and didn't get a blister. I usually fill my bottle up part way with water the night before and put it in the freezer overnight. That forms one large ice cube when it melts so you get a different sound from multiple ice pieces. Still noisy, though!

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    1. I saw your mention of Trial Toes on your post. I am definitely checking that out. Thanks for the tip.

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  18. Congrats on 3rd! I also need to work on my outlook when it's humid. I get cranky, but I live in the south so it's always a factor and I need to just deal with it.

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    1. Yep, being southern I just have to come to terms with it. We don't have a choice.

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  19. Hey... you take that award with pride - despite the time, you pushed yourself to do a race feeling a little beaten & worn - totally deserve that 3rd place!

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  20. It's actually nice here this week but my huge blister is not having it. I'll have to wait a few more days. Boo! Bad timing.

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  21. Sometimes showing up in bad weather does deserve a prize! I can't deal with handheld water bottles but I haven't found the ideal solution either.

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    1. I'd rather run without a bottle too, but sometimes you just need to.

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  22. Showing up is a huge part of it! Congrats on the third place finish. I like the bottles you can squeeze too. although I am not a huge fan of holding something for more than a short run.

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    1. Thanks. I usually don't carry anything and loop around my mailbox instead.

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