Tuesday, 7/2/13: Running on the run *OR* Some like it hot!

I've been out of town for the last week, on a combination mission trip/ beach retreat with my church's youth group. I'm normally very involved with the youth, so this has been a great experience to bond with the kids, as well as do some good work and relax. But, as I'm sure many of you can imagine, the busy days and time spent away from my normal running route have cut into my training schedule. Nevertheless, I've tried to remain vigilant and get in a few runs while I've been away. 

The first leg of the trip was spent in McDonagh, GA, a small town just southeast of Atlanta. Of the four mornings I spent there, I managed to squeeze in two runs: one of them around 5.75 miles, and the other around 4.25 miles.  I didn't record details like pace and temperature, mainly because I had to hurry back to the church where we were staying and prepare for a day of mission work. 

My apologizes for the crappy quality; they were shot with an iPhone camera before dawn. 

Also, me and three friends climbed Stone Mountain in Stone Mountain Park in Atlanta. I guess it doesn't count as a run, but I'll still include it in my "Vacation fitness exploits" folder. And besides, look at that view! (The tiny buildings on the horizon is Atlanta Proper!)

Yesterday morning we arrived at Destin, FL, for the 'retreat' portion of out excursion. And, of course, this morning I took out on a run. Because how often do hillbillies like me get a chance to run by the ocean?!? 

This run wasn't stellar (only around 4 miles), because I waited too late to get started (around 6:20), and by then the sun was already pretty high in the sky. And those high-rise hotels can only block out so much heat. 

Now time for the introspective portion of my usual blog entry. 

I HATE HUMIDITY. 

For anyone who runs while on vacation (or a business trip, or any extended period away from their normal climate), adjusting to a new area can be the hardest thing. I thought Kentucky was humid, but I had never experienced a humid run until I stepped out into the Georgia soup. Not to mention that my time has been a little crunched, what with looking after two dozen teenagers. 

It's probably inevitable that training is going to FEEL worse while away from your normal running route, because your body isn't used to the conditions of the new place. Which I suppose is good from time to time (how many of us run races on our usual route?), but it sure felt like I had lost fitness since leaving my house (even though that's absurd; it takes weeks of reduced workouts to lose fitness). 

I suppose I'll end with this: if your training suffers for a week or so because of vacation, don't sweat it (ba-dump tssst). As long as you don't become completely sedentary, you should be able to pick up with your normal routine as soon as you get back. I'd reference a recent article in 'Runner's World' magazine on that, but I'm posting from an iPad and I'm not sure how to do that on this device. 

Until then, happy running!