I’m not sure what type of weather you have where you live, but here in Michigan, August means high humidity and hot temperatures many years and this year has been no exception. I really don’t like high temperatures and I especially don’t like the high humidity. This August has been a scorcher for sure with most days in the upper 80’s and humidity levels that been very high. I you like sweating in  a sauna, then this month is for you but for me, it’s a month of just simply not wanting to exercise because it’s too darned hot!

All that being said, not exercising is not an option. I have however cut back somewhat on the frequency and level that I’ve been exercising. As you know, I’ve been working on trying to heal a shin issue that just simply doesn’t want to go away so cutting back has both been necessary as well as a welcome relief from the heat.

Keeping hydrated with the heat and humidity can be a real challenge but is more important than ever. Your muscles rely on liquids in your body to stay healthy and perform at their best at all times. When you are constantly sweating in higher temperatures and humidity, you can loose a lot more fluids from your body than you may realize. One sure sign that you are getting dehydrated is cramping, especially in your leg muscles which are some of your largest muscles. For me, many times it will happen at night, where I will be awoken from a sound sleep with a cramp in my calf that would cause extreme pain.

This can be a sure sign of dehydration. Another sign of dehydration is reduced, darker or stronger smelling urination. If find that you are going less often than normal, you may be getting dehydrated without even realizing it and this can be your bodies way of letting you know.  I try really hard during these times to drink a couple of quarts of extra fluid daily just to make sure that I’m staying ahead of the curve.

As far as my health status, I have put on about 7 pounds over the summer with the reduced exercise levels and I am now concentrating back on the “calories in, calories out” routine to make up for the reduced exercise levels while I heal the shin. I am averaging only about 10 miles of running and 20 miles of biking a week at the moment. I so want to get back to increased levels of running but my injury has simply prevented it thus far.

Stay cool and hydrated as we head through this last week of August and cooling days of running are not far away as we transition into the fall period soon. I don’t want to wish summer away but I’m ready for a little less sweating while sitting still for sure. See you soon!

Boy have I been lazy about updating my blog lately. Summer is into full swing (hot, humid, and generally oppressive) and coupled with a two week vacation out to Yellowstone National Park equals lack of blog updates for me. Unfortunately I feel almost as lazy about my weekly running tasks.

I continue to be plagued by injury to my lower right shin. I have been put on hold for the time being with the Physical Therapy and have had an x-ray performed on my shin but nothing was found again. As the doctor put it, the bone looks smooth and no spurs to indicate previous healed injury either so at the moment, I have no explanation as to why it hurts and continues to swell after running. How frustrating!

I’m still running about 3 – 4 days per week but only shorter runs of about 3.4 miles per event. My endurance has suffered greatly since running the 25K this past May, between the injury and now the heat of the day. I have always found it difficult to run in anything more than about 70 degrees and we’ve had more than 20 days in July above 80 and looking at the 8 day forecast, there is no end in site for the moment.

Had a great time on our vacation but ended running on the dreadmill at whatever hotel we ended up at during our trip for the most part. I did however get a chance to run outside the evening we arrived in Cody Wyoming. They had a cold front go through and it was only about 50 degrees that evening and I couldn’t pass that up for a nice run. I quickly learned about running at altitude that evening!

When I left for my run I never thought about the fact that we were basically in the mountains at the time and left for a 4 mile run. That coupled with the fact that the 2 miles out was basically on a slight downhill slope which meant the 2 miles back was a slight “uphill slope”, made for a very hard run. I couldn’t figure out why I felt so out of breath and exhausted when I arrived back at the hotel until I looked down at my Garmin Forerunner and saw that I was above 6000 ft.! My lungs weren’t quite ready for the thin air for sure!

I’ve been maintaining my weight successfully but I’m finding it more difficult to “just say no” to certain snacks and that needs to be controlled. Last thing I need right now is head back towards diabetes or weight gain and that needs to be controlled. I see the doctor next week for my quarterly cardiac risk profile and diabetic panel checkups so we’ll see how I’m doing and report all back here.

If you are just discovering this blog, go back into to the archives and join me on my journey from fat and unhealthy to thinner, healthier, and almost no medications attained through diet and exercise as “yes it does work”, as long as you are willing to work! Don’t wait and start today!