Dear Humidity,

I’m over you.

It’s September. Have you heard?

I’m over seeing this:

every time I check the weather.

I’m over having to use the air conditioning.

I’m over sweat dripping down my back just standing and watching C’s soccer games.

I’m over running on the treadmill because of you.

I’m over sweating so bad on my runs that it looks like I jumped in a pool.

More like “Freakishly Sweaty”

So I’m asking you nicely, please go away. At least until next year. Give us a little bit of a break. I beg of you.

Who’s with me???!

#1. Call your husband, mom, dad, spouse, neighbor, roommate, best friend, or whoever it may be and let them know that you are done with your long run. Ask them politely to start a bath for you. Cold water only. And, if they get annoyed, remind them that this must happen if they want you to be functional for the rest of the day/weekend.

#2. Hurry your stinky butt home.

#3. Thank said person when you walk in the door and drag your stinky butt to the kitchen for post-run fuel.

#4. Grab a sweatshirt, hoodie, or warm blanket. Put it on.

#5. Climb into the bathtub. It will be COLD. Suck it up.

#6. Ask your “person” to then pour the ice in. But tell them to be careful, it could hurt if they just drop that shit in there. Please pour the ice next to the legs, not ON the legs.

#7. Suck it up.

#8. Eat (or drink!) your post-run fuel to distract yourself from the numbness starting to occur on your legs.

#9. Sit there for 10 minutes and then shower off the awesomeness from your long run.

#10. Enjoy the rest of your day!

Ice baths: yes or no???

I’m always a little worried headed into a long run. You just never know what’s going to happen.

So when I woke up Saturday morning and saw this:

I knew I at least had the weather on my side. I can’t remember the last time I ran when it was 62 degrees out!

I also had a plan:

• Run 5 miles down to the park
• Meet Becka
• Run 6 more miles together
• Drop Becka at her car
• Run 4 miles home

I was prepared.

And, for the most part, that’s how things went. There were a few glitches, like an unplanned bathroom stop at mile 4 and a much needed stop at mile 12 at Blackbird Baking Company to fill up my empty water bottle (who were SO NICE about it, btw!).

The humidity was killer, though. I was DEAD at the end. And disgustingly soaked head to toe.

This run was SO much harder than my 14 miler. Not sure if it’s because of the humidity, or I just wasn’t into it because of being on vacation (or no sangria??!). But not every run is going to be perfect. I’m glad, and proud, I got it done!

But since I was so stinkin wet, I ended up with the worst chaffing to date.

Under my arms, a little chubrub in the thighs, and even my tush (hey, let’s keep it real here).

My perfume of choice on Saturday and Sunday was Buttpaste. Doesn’t smell that great, but it’s the best stuff EVER for chaffing. And baby’s bottoms.

And then I sent this text to my sis:

Good times.

Have you ever had bad chaffing? What do you use to help relieve the pain??

Saturday morning I got out of bed at 6:00 and did my normal long-run routine: got dressed, ate breakfast, brushed my teeth, and then messed around on Facebook while starting up the electronics.

The weather looked good – cloudy and 75ish degrees. But then I heard thunder.

Was that thunder?
Nooo…..it’s supposed to be done raining!
Yep, that’s thunder. Crap.
Oh, nice, now it’s raining.
Wait, now it’s POURING.
Just my luck.

So I did what any normal person would do. Turned everything off and went back to bed. Until almost 8:30. It was amazing.

And instead of doing what I used to do during marathon training and freak out about not getting my run in, I enjoyed the morning with my boys. I even drove through a few more thunderstorms on my way to a wedding shower later in the morning and I still wasn’t freaking out. It was weird.

I had a few glasses of sangria at the shower so I put my run off a little more when I got home. I was starting to wonder if it was even going to happen because it was now sunny and warm. So I took a nap. Something I would have NEVER done in prior trainings.

And finally, around 5:00, I suited up. I thought I’d run on few on the treadmill in case my belly acted up and go from there. SO SMART on my part. I made it 3 miles (with a potty break), got bored out of my mind, and headed outside for seven more AWESOME miles. Seriously. Then I looped home, picked up J, and we headed back out for 4 more.

We got lucky because the Lakewood Criterium was going on.

So cool to watch these guys riding faster than I ride on a downhill! In a circle. For over an hour. Total badasses right there.

Then we ran home and I was done.

Fourteen perfect miles.

No struggling, no dying, just running.

Maybe that thunderstorm was the universe telling me to wait to run. Or maybe I’m supposed to drink sangria before my run. Whatever it was, I’m so glad I waited.

Life is good. Sangria is good. And compression socks are better than good.

I’m kind of digging this laid back approach to training.

What’s the weirdest thing you’ve eaten or drank before a workout (that didn’t make you feel like total crap like you thought it would…..)??

And so it begins.

Marathon training is back in full effect.

9 miles this past Saturday to be exact. I struggled some. And I felt like I was starting all over again. When I checked Dailymile I saw that the last time I ran this far was the Glass City Half Marathon back in April!

I met Christie at the Metroparks a little before 7, which I thought would give us plenty of time to beat the heat. And it did, but we couldn’t beat the humidity.

Pre-run photo:

Post-run photo:

Check out the change in color in our shirts. We were soaked head to toe (plus pink cheeks and flushed skin)!

You can really tell in my skirt here:

It was literally flapping like I had just jumped in a pool. #sexy

And this may be too much information, but the sweat was dripping down my forearms from my elbows, to my pinky, and just dripping off my pinky. Like a waterfall. Grossness.

The humidity seriously kills me. More than I like to admit. So this is how it went down:

• 4 miles non stop
• water break
• 2 miles
• water break
• 1 mile
• water break
• 1 mile
• water break

Ha. We were ready to be done come mile 8. So we both headed home and I conned this guy into riding his bike with me for one more mile:

(from soccer camp last week!)

So I got it done. They weren’t as fast as I would have liked, but I’ll take what I can get in the humidity. I better just suck it up already, though, because I’m pretty sure I have a long 3 months of this ahead of me.

Is it humid where you are?? The weather is so weird here, you never know what you’re going to get!

WOW, thanks for all the super awesome, kick-ass, ego-strokin comments you left on my last post (I plan on responding to every one this weekend!). You sure know how to make a girl feel good!

And for those of you who didn’t hear yet…………I ran a little race called the ING NYC Marathon this past Sunday.

I may even be saving marathon pictures just so I have one to put in every post from now on. Hehe. (I have no shame)

Anyways, Hal Higdon deems the week after a marathon “zero week“. I must say that this man knows what he’s talking about.

Monday I felt like someone had beaten my quads with a baseball bat. They were SO SORE. And I’m not quite sure if walking all around Soho, Central Park, and Times Square helped or hurt their recovery.

(stretching my hips in the Subway while waiting for our train)

Tuesday my quads still hurt. Going down stairs was still killer (better, but not good). I’m so appreciative now of the railings in the stairway leading up to our bedroom and down to the basement (though, I have to admit that I put a load of laundry in Tuesday night when we got home and didn’t touch it until today!). I told J he needs to install an escalator like the NYC subways had.

Wednesday my quads were a LITTLE sore, but I could finally walk down stairs without looking like my mom who just had her knee replaced (sorry, Mom, but you know what I mean!).

Yesterday I felt good. Even back to normal maybe? But then I taught Group Power and my left IT band hollered at me. Just enough to remind me to slow the hell down. No need to push it.

Today I was going to run a few miles but decided not to make my IT band any more angry than it already is. I think it was a good decision.

Tomorrow I have a deep tissue massage scheduled. I’m actually glad I scheduled it for tomorrow instead of earlier in the week. It’s already going to be painful – no need in adding fuel to the fire by going while my legs were still mad sore.

Sunday I have plans to RUN. No more than 5 miles, but I’m going to get back out there and see how I feel. Hopefully I feel better than this:

It was unusual having the week “off”. I am completely grateful, though, because I was exhausted this week. My under-eye, bag covering, concealer has never gotten so much use!

I want to be smart about my recovery. My goal is to be back to 100% by the end of the year. I may or may not have another race to start training for come January.

Do you follow the “zero week” rule after a big race? Or do you like to just get right back out there? I made the mistake of running too soon after the Cleveland marathon and that’s how this nagging IT Band injury started…….

Hey everyone!

We’re finally home from the Big Apple! We’re getting settled in and I still need time to organize my thoughts – it was a long and exciting weekend.

So I just wanted to drop in real quick to say THANK YOU for all the amazing support and birthday wishes on Sunday. I may not have responded to them all (there was a lot going on!), but I read every single one.

Can’t wait to catch up on what everyone else has been up to, too. I’ve been out of the loop!

What do you think: Race re-cap first and then weekend highlights? Or just a weekend progression?

This is it. Our bags are packed (well, mostly), checklists double checked, playlists are made, electronics are charged, and the car is gassed up. All I have left to do is paint my nails. No backing out now.

I’m still in the 90% nervous, 10% excited range, but I’m sure that will change as the weekend goes on. I’ve been reading all the updates on ING Runner’s Nation Facebook page and, as cheesy as it sounds, the energy is almost contagious!

Tomorrow is the last day to vote for me to be THE featured runner, so please humor me one more day and vote. I find out on Saturday who the winner is (nothing like waiting til the last minute, right?).

But no matter if I win or lose the contest, I’m still grateful to even be chosen as one of the six finalist. It’s been quite the experience already and it’s not even race day yet!

If you’re interested, J (@jamursch) and my sister (@byamanda1) will be tweeting during the race. I’m pretty sure Facebook will be sending updates, too. My wave starts at 10:40am so I’ll be running most of the day on Sunday. Happy birthday to me, right?

Thank you SO MUCH for all the support these last 10 weeks. It’s been so helpful having an outlet to vent my frustrations and celebrate my victories.

And if you’re in New York this weekend, be on the lookout for these:

NYC, HERE WE COME……….!!!!

It’s already late (I was out late dining and being silly with my girls, Kimi and Christie), but I wanted to pop in and ask you guys for a little help. I know, like I haven’t asked for enough help with voting for me every day for the past 3 weeks, right? What can I say…….I’m needy.

I’m trying to revise and update my tried and true “marathon playlist”. My most favorite type of music is fast paced, hip hop or techno style. Justin Timberlake is by far #1, then we have Flo Rida, Dave Guetta, Eminem, LMFAO, Usher, 50 Cent, Michael Jackson, Ne-Yo, P-Diddy, etc, etc, etc.

(source)

Sorry, couldn’t help myself.

So what I’m asking from you are song suggestions.

Tell me, what’s your #1 most favorite, can’t live without, fist pumpin, foot tappin workout song?

THANK YOU!!

This weekend marked my last weekend before the BIG RACE (ahhhhhh!).

Which also means it was my last long(er) run of training.

I’m so lucky because I have some really fantastic friends who are willing to run with and support me.

J and I ran the first 5 miles together then met up with Christina and Andy.

Hehe. She’s so cute and tiny!!

Then we said goodbye to J at mile 7.

And then goodbye to Christina at mile 8 before Andy and I finished out the last 7.

It’s like a high school math problem: how many miles did each person run?

• Christina = 3 miles
• J = 7 miles
• Andy = 10 miles
• Heather = 15 miles

Despite a couple stops to stretch my legs I felt OK. The temperature was perfect. I was really hoping the temp for NYC was going to be just like this past Saturday (high of 50), but as of now the high is showing 60! So weird since they just had snow this weekend. And totally ruins my race day outfit, btw.

Which was going to be this:

That’s supposed to say “15″ not “51″. J didn’t tell me I was doing it backwards!

Does that mean it’s time to go shopping?

One week to go………damn this day came fast.

What’s the ideal temperature for you to run in?