Hi peeps,

Yesterday before leaving work I wiped away June on my dry-erase calendar started to set it up for July.

Clean slate!

And of course I filled in only the truly pertinent dates….

 “Out of Office” for San Francisco baby!

While out running this morning i started thinking about what I call the Runner’s Holy Trinity—1. Distance 2. Weather/conditions 3. Elevation/terrain and about how important it is to respect these 3 things when running.

Runner’s Holy Trinity

All too often we find ourselves saying things like “well it’s only 3 miles, so I don’t need water” or, on a hot humid day we beat ourselves up over running at a snail’s pace. Maybe we’re supposed to run 4 miles on a specific day but we’ve hit our runner’s high and end up running 8.

Today the dew point was 72 (81 degrees and 76% humidity). I knew this before heading out the door and thought of carrying a water bottle but then I said “Well it’s just 5 miles. I’ll be back in an hour.”

I did not respect the weather. And I felt that decision for sure. My fingers swelled like sausages and I had to walk up some of the hills. I still enjoyed my run but I could have enjoyed it more with a sip or two of water at every mile.

5 miles in 80 degree weather with 76 percent humidity took me from fresh…to super sweaty with sausage fingers

So let this be the reminder that we all need.

Respect the distance:

• Don’t run extra miles that could potentially cause unnecessary injury or fatigue
• Do keep a nice and easy conversational pace on those long runs
• Don’t minimize a run that is just a few miles. Treat every distance with the respect it deserves.

Respect the weather conditions:

• Don’t plan on keeping your speedy pace when the temperature is extremely hot or cold.
• Do prepare for weather conditions before you head out. sunscreen, visor, body glide, water and salt tabs are important for running in extreme heat. Gloves and hat are important for extreme cold.
• Don’t forget that wind can zap your energy. Don’t waste that precious energy trying to keep your pace through it.

Respect the elevation and terrain:

• Trail running? Be careful of slippery leaves and tree roots. Your ankles will thank you.
• Uneven terrain and elevation climbs (aka HILLS) require more energy. Try to keep your effort level even meaning you’ll need to slow it down.
• Pounding the pavement can be hard on the body. Think about where you’ll be doing long runs and maybe try to switch it up a bit where you can to grass or dirt.

Can you add to this list? Share your tips in the comments.

shameless selfie

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