I am a total lover of summer time. In my mind, there is no better season. I will take 95 degrees and sun any day. Unfortunately, I live in Northeast Ohio - which means summer is about 12 weeks of the year (if we're lucky), and the other 9 months are gross. (And no, I'm not a teacher - I work all summer long, so that's not why I'm infatuated with summer.) So every year around this time I go into denial / rebellion mode and refuse to accept the fact that fall is coming (notice I said coming - because I won't say it's here). It's getting harder and harder to deny though, as the temps keep dropping (along with my heart), the leaves start to fall, and the daylight gets shorter and shorter. Yesterday was a particularly good example of this - highs only in the low 60's, rain and clouds all day, and overall dreariness. All the reasons I hate the invasion of fall into my summer party.
So I got home from work and headed out for my run around 7:00pm. It was already getting dark, especially with all the clouds. My run was a quick lesson in adapting to different conditions if I'm going to be a runner. And it was not fun. I came to the conclusion that I like running in the summer better. I had already learned that extreme heat and humidity were factors I had to adapt to during the summer, and had found ways around them or learned to adjust my running. Yesterday was the opposite. Not only was it getting dark already, but it was also colder than I was used to (only in the upper 50's by the time I got out there). I have read and been told that you should always dress for running as if it's warmer than it really is. So instead of throwing on sweat pants and a hoodie, I opted for a tshirt and some dri-fit yoga pants/capris. I was freezing when I walked out the door, but as I started to run, I realized that this temperature created a phenomenon. I was sweating, but my face, nose, and hands were cold. Not cool. Because this meant that not only did I have to worry about wiping the sweat off that was dripping down my face, but I had to alternate that with blowing my nose that was running because it was cold. I'm pretty sure that by the time I was done, I was trying to dry my face off with the same parts of a paper towel I'd blown my nose on. I know - gross.
In addition to my juggling act, I also got to experience the potential danger of wet leaves caked onto the pavement and piles of pine needles spread across the bike path. Good thing yesterday was supposed to be my short run. My legs were already tired out from three days in a row of (very) hard running and setting new personal bests, and all of this just slowed me down even more. I couldn't even make the 2 miles in under 20 minutes.
Great - just another reason for me to dislike fall. I'm hoping that I can actually learn to adjust a bit. I can't let myself use the weather I don't like as an excuse to quit. I've been telling myself all summer long that I'm going to keep this going through the whole winter so I don't have to start all over next summer. But if the impending fall is this hard, what is winter going to be like?!?!?!? I was already skeptical of whether or not I'd be able to run outside in the winter in Northeast Ohio, especially since the bike path I run on doesn't get plowed of snow or ice, and this experience is REALLY making me nervous. The hubby and I are brainstorming ideas now, and I'm going to check out the local running specialty store for advice/ideas...and as much as I hate running inside, we're trying to figure out how we can afford a used or refurbished treadmill. I'd join a gym - but not only are they expensive, I just don't like them. Even the all-female gyms. I've tried it before and I just feel so uncomfortable. Sure there are people of all fitness levels and ages - it's not that. And it's not the inevitable existence of germs, sweat, and grossness all over the machines and weights (although that's total gross too). It's just not the atmosphere I like. I don't like TV and music when I run. I don't like other things going on around me. I don't like comparing myself to the people around me. I like to run with just me and my thoughts (and the beauty and sounds of nature if I can). It's the mentally therapeutic and relaxing side of running and I can't get that in a gym.
I'm really going to have to start doing some serious research and come up with a plan. Apparently I'm also going to have to learn to suck it up and just do what needs to be done no matter what the circumstances! :o) Run run run!
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