I Believe!

Apologies all around for my absence! Jog In Ocean took a couple of months of hiatus to take some summer camping trips, get settled in a work promotion, and ramp up on training for the Nike Women's Half Marathon (Oct. '09), But, I'm officially back. And, I'd like to start off with a shout-out to Sidewalk Monkey for joining our little pre-breakfast running club, and to Mayumi for being hard-core about her runs despite the ridiculous heat out on the east coast. I've also heard that there are a handful of new people who've started to read my blog. So, welcome to the intrepid web wanderers who stumbled onto my page!

I'm happy to say that my half-marathon training is currently in full swing. And, I've pumped up my schedule this year with more interval workouts, since I've added the pressure of a time goal. But, today's post isn't going to be about my last interval run, it's about my last long run yesterday (7.5 miles). Why? Well, because it was so bad that I felt compelled to blog about it. I began the day with the proper nutrition and hydration for a long run, but other circumstances hindered me from hitting the trail until high noon. I can't stress enough how much that's a BAD IDEA!

Unfortunately, yesterday's high temperature was in the 90's, and I could literally see the waves of heat curling up from the trail. Well, it was either that or I was starting to get blurry-eyed, which was also highly probable. So, yesterday's running goal swiftly turned from finishing in a respectable time to simply finishing (ie...a run/walk). I'm happy to say that I did manage to run/walk the full distance, but not without arriving at my car utterly drained, out of breath, and dizzy. Next time, I'll try to bring a small bottle of water. Since, I usually don't drink during a run, but in that heat you have to. I think that would've made a world of difference.

Also, Here is the one highlight of my run. I recently introduced a new song into my running rotation: "I Believe" by Yolanda Adams, from the Honey Soundtrack. Thanks to Mayumi, queen of dance movies, I watched the Honey movie, starring Jessica Alba, and loved the soundtrack. You never realize how much one song can affect you until you're running with it. Check out the lyrics:

They said you wouldn't make it so far.

And ever since they said it, it's been hard

But nevermind the nights you had to cry

Cause you have never let it go inside

You worked real hard

And you know exactly what you want and need

So believe and you can never give up

You can reach your goals

Just talk to your soul and say…

(Chorus:)I believe I can (I can)

I believe I will (I will)

I believe I know my dreams are real (know my dreams are real)

I believe I'll stand (Oh yea)

I believe I'll dance I believe I'll grow real soon and (That's why)

That is what I do believe

Your goals are just a thing in your soul

And you know that your moves will let them show

You keep creating pictures in your mind

So just believe they will come true in time

It will be fine

Leave all of your cares and stress behind

Just let it go

Let the music flow inside

Forget all your pain

And just start to believe

Chorus

Nevermind what people say

Hold your head high and turn away

With all our hopes and dreams I will believe

Even though it seems it's not for me

I won't give up

I'll keep it up

Look into the sky I will achieve all my needs

I will always believe…

Chorus

So yes, this may sound cheesy, but you truly feel the meaning of the words when you're pushing yourself to your physical limit. Every single phrase counts, every single phrase sinks in and fizzles down to your toes. My body literally started tingling, and I sprinted off, feeling weightless for the majority of that song. For a very brief 3 minutes and 43 seconds, I felt like I could sprint all the way back to my car (I was only at the 4 mile marker). My speed even kicked up an extra notch by the time I hit the last chorus, because that's when they bring in a children's choir to sing in the background. And I know that affected me because I grew up singing in a youth chorus. Then the song ended, and 2 minutes later I was back to plodding along again at a slow rate with the heat waves smacking me in the forehead. But, it just shows me how important music is for me on these runs. So what songs work for you out there? How does it make you feel?

Alright, that's all I have for this post. But, let me leave you with some additional tips to run in heat:

TIPS:

• If there is extreme heat in your area, try to run in the mornings or the evenings.
• If you have to run when it's really hot, try wrapping a light towel soaked in ice cold water around your neck.
• Wear light-colored clothing, hats, sunglasses, and sunscreen (protect your skin).
• If the heat is so bad that it's making your limbs feel heavy, try a run/walk. Jog at a comfortable pace through the shaded areas and walk through the uncovered sections to recover. If there are no shaded regions, jog for 10 minutes and walk for 4 minutes. Repeat.
• Hydrate an hour before the run and take water with you on the run.