It’s 2016. Can we please get over getting “chicked”?

It was already in the 90s by the time I hit the running trail Tuesday, but I had my Gatorade and a plan to and stop in the shade and drink every 1.5 miles. I was just going out for an easy run to get some miles in the legs, anyway, not set any records or do any speed work.

Things were going hot but fine as I came to the traffic stop at about mile 4.5. There was a guy walking ahead of me, and I recognized him as a runner I see now and again on the trail. He saw me coming and did the "runner's nod."

As we came up to the red light, he launched into an explanation of how hot it was and how he was finding it difficult to run. I'm not sure if he thought he needed to justify his walking, or if he felt like I needed to know I wouldn't be running by him on a regular day. I was too hot and tired for a feminist rant, so I just smiled and said "Good luck!" as I ran on.

This isn't the first time this has happened, by a long shot. Usually a guy will look over his shoulder, see me, and speed up. Sometimes I mess with their heads. But since I run alone and don't need any trouble, usually I just let it go.

Maybe I'm reading too much into it. But if you're a man, and I run by you, I assure you I really don't care and you shouldn't either. Get out there and live your life and stop worrying about being "chicked."

Week in review July 18-24: The one where I’m a slug

That's ... not a lot.

Last week was bad for training.

I forgot my swimsuit on a trip to the pool, and was so mad at myself about it I could only do some yoga later. I had a doctor’s appointment and a friend’s going-away party one night. Other friends were in town for dinner another night. I had some financial stuff to take care of another night. And did I mention it’s been in the high 90s all week?

Yeah. So. I didn’t do much.

I did take care of myself in other ways, though. I got A LOT of sleep this weekend. I spent a decent amount of time grocery shopping and prepping healthy food, and even made some Paleo banana bread. I saw “The Secret Life of Pets” with my husband and parents in a nice, cool theater on Saturday and laughed my butt off. I rubbed my mutts’ bellies. I worked in the garden. I lingered over an iced latte in a hipster coffee shop. I got to spend time with friends and wrap up that financial stuff, as inconvenient for training as it was.

Training-wise, it came out to:

Run: Twice, both on the road, for 10 miles total in about 1:35. This included one hot and slow run after work, and one short and surprisingly speedy run at dusk another night. It was just too hot for a long run over the weekend (and too humid when it wasn’t too hot) and I couldn’t stomach double digits on the treadmill.

Yoga: Once, some self-guided runner-focused moves, for about 15 minutes. I felt like I needed to do SOMETHING after my aborted swim and this was all I had the energy left for.

Total: Three sessions in just less than 2 hours. My lightest week in a long time.

I had a lot going on last week and it seemed like external forces weren’t working in my favor. But I DID run twice and had some fun, so not all is lost. There’s not much else I can do except move on and tackle this coming week head-on.

The temperature is too damn high

Guys, I am just not going to make myself go train when the heat index is 101 degrees.

I didn't get out of work early enough to go to the outdoor pool before it got too busy. I'm not riding at the state park where there will be a zillion people driving like maniacs to get to the beach. And I feel like as soon as I put on my running shoes, I will burst into flames.

I'm going to stay in and be a bum in the air conditioning this weekend. I might try to get in an early-morning run once or twice, and maybe some time on the bike trainer, but I can't see myself doing much else. This weekend is all about self-preservation. And maybe Netflix.

Race report: Pure Detroit 5K

A+ swag.

I honestly can’t remember the last time I did a 5K – I think it was at the end of my last sprint tri three years ago. It’s not because I’m a snob about them. I’m like a barbecue, low and slow, so my talent lies in outlasting all the people who start out too fast and fade, rather than running fast and staying fast.

But my husband has started to run again a few times per week and wanted something to show for his efforts, so we signed up for the Pure Detroit 5K a few weeks ago. It was cheap, it was for a good cause, it had cool swag, and it was right down the street from us. Win!

The race had a “brunch start” of 10 a.m. which was much appreciated. Yes, it was probably a bit warmer at 10 a.m. compared to 7 a.m., but much of the morning humidity had burned off by then. I had time to take the mutts out and make a mini-breakfast and coffee before we headed out to the site about 45 minutes before the race. (We had an “in” for a parking spot already planned out, so no worries there.) Packet pickup was quick and easy and we had plenty of time to drop off our goodies back at the car, people watch, and stretch and walk a bit to warm up.

The route started at one of Detroit’s landmarks, the Fisher Building, and headed north up Second Avenue for a bit before taking a short jog on Chicago Avenue and heading back the way we came. Chicago Avenue is in Detroit’s historic Boston-Edison neighborhood, which boasts gorgeous mansions, and it was kind of a bummer we didn’t get to see more of them. We cheered for the leaders as they passed us and all the other random people we passed and who passed us. It was a warm morning – the sun was out in full force – but we felt good. My husband only stopped to walk once at about mile 2, and it was only for a block or so.

Really, my only complaint was that the course was a bit short. They had plenty of water, bagels and granola bars at the finish, we had a police escort, the shirts were nice, the pint glass was a nice touch. It was a fun way to kick off the morning. I’d definitely do it again and really hope this was the “first annual,” as it was marketed.

Later that day, because all runners are at least a little crazy, I went out for another 9.1 miles in the heat of the day. Gotta get my long run in, even if it is in two parts.

The road to the pool is paved with good intentions, part 2

Me yesterday. (Source.)

(Part 1 here)

Yesterday was just A DAY. Storms came through at about 4 a.m., and although my scaredy-dog didn’t climb into bed and try to bury her head in the pillows, she still paced around our bedroom enough that her nails clicking on the hardwood kept me awake for a while. I was definitely NOT ready to get out of bed when my alarm went off a few hours later.

I had to drop my car off at the dealership early and take the shuttle to work, so I didn’t get to drink quite as much coffee as usual before I left the house. Plus, I burned the heck out of the roof of my mouth Saturday, so I was crabbier and more irritable than usual all day. And it hurts to eat on that side of my mouth. Ugh.

I was seriously debating skipping my recovery swim and going home for a nap after work, but it was a beautiful day and I knew a swim would do me good. Even my husband, who tends to lean toward suggesting rest over pushing through a workout, was telling me to suck it up and go get a quick swim done. FINE. I headed to the pool instead of home, fighting through rush hour traffic. I headed to the locker room bathroom and started going through my bag.

And then it hit me. Did I put my swimsuit in my bag?

I searched. No swimsuit. I shook out my towels. No swimsuit. I called my husband and made him check the bathroom and bedroom. Sure as you-know-what, he reported back that I had one swimsuit hanging up in the bathroom and one on the floor of my closet. Which means that I had zero left in my bag.

RAGE SMASH HULK FIRE

More than anything, I was furious with myself. I had driven all the way out to the pool for nothing when I was having a crabby day to begin with. But there was nothing I could do except head home. In protest, I curled up on the couch with the mutts and read for a while before starting dinner. I did do a bit of stretching later, but I was NOT in a good mental space for any kind of real workout.

I put both swimsuits in my bag so this won’t happen next time. Ugh! What a way to end a Monday.

Week in review July 11-17: Some decent running and something new

Nothing too out of the ordinary.

It was a satisfactory week last week. The weather was pretty hot, so my runs were slow and/or after dark. I got in the pool once and did a new-to-me barre class, which was super fun.

I left work early Friday to visit my friend and her new baby, so that took precedence over, oh, everything. He is such a cutie! I debated doing a 12-miler Saturday and then a 5K with my husband Sunday, or combining the two runs into a double day, or just doing the 5K and being a lazy slug the rest of the day. As it turns out, I slept later than I wanted to on Saturday (story of my life) and then went out of town for the day, so that solved the Saturday/Sunday problem for me. Oh well – it was a much-deserved rest day and it was good to see family. I did end up rallying later in the day Sunday to do another 9 miles, which made me feel like a badass.

By sport, it was:

Swim: Once, in the pool, for 2400 meters in just longer than an hour. Nothing special there. I wasn’t feeling great by the end so I was happy to finish.

Weights: Once, a barre class, for about an hour.

Run: Four times, all on the road, for 22 miles in 3 hours, 41 minutes. This worked out to be an easy run that got cut a bit short and slow because of the heat, another easy run done at dusk to avoid the heat, a 5K at my husband’s pace, and a 9-miler later that day to make a “long run” of 12 miles in two parts, suffering in the day’s heat.

Total: Six sessions in about 5 hours, 44 minutes.

This is the third week in a row I’ve gotten in six sessions, so it seems to be working for me. I did more time overall last weekend when I got some training in both Saturday and Sunday, and I didn’t bike at all this week. But, all things considered, I got in some decent running mileage and two “other” sessions – not too shabby.

It’s supposed to be high 90s/100s later this week so who knows what lies ahead! There might be more indoor-and-air-conditioned workouts than usual in the works. We’ll see.

A triathlete walks into a barre

Something new!

While I’m regrouping to focus on running (race report from this morning's 5K coming soon!) and strength-training for a while, I decided I want to try something new for strength-training this week. So, I hit up my first class at Detroit Barre.

I’ve been to various barre classes in the past, mostly when I was traveling for work or visiting friends in cities big and trendy enough to have a studio. I have a couple Bar Method videos, but they fell out of the rotation. So what better time than to give it another go?

And it was fun! I remembered to bring socks and wear capris. There as a lot of tucking and a lot of "seat work" (butt exercises), and my legs were definitely shaking before long. I liked that there were people of all sizes there; it wasn't just willowy women in Lululemon from head to toe. I kind of wish we had done more ab and arm work, and I thought about doing my pull-ups when I got home, but... I didn't.

I don't know if this is going to help my running in the long-term, but if changing up weight-lifting routines helps keep me interested and focused allowing me to get stronger, then I am all for it. Plus, I enjoy trying new things and supporting local businesses. Win-win!