Water, Dehydration, And The Long Run

Sunday's run was over the 22 mile long T-888.  The day was hot, which seems to be a common theme for the past few weeks.  But somehow, this day was different.  the air seemed sharper, harsher, as if it were saying, "come on out here pal.  I'm gonna work you today".

And it did.

Easy Runs In The Heat

The last two days have been easy, mind-body mending runs. Not running for time--just enjoying the run.

Of course high temperatures and humidity have played a part in the decision making process. When I returned from my run yesterday, I realized that in spite of taking it slow and leaving the watch at home, I still finished up feeling drained.

That's when it hit me like a fist full of quarters that heat does take a toll on the body.

Turn Back The Clock On Your Body With Exercise

Itsy Bitsy Runner tried a new running route.
Out came the rain and washed the heat out.
Out came the sun and dried up all the rain.
And the Itsy Bitsy Runner overheated once again.

Yes, ran an easy 21 miles today in 3:36:16. Started the run just after a morning rain and the temperature was still in the low 70s. So the first half of the run felt good--no overheating, no cramping, no heat fatigue.

Flatten Your Stomach With These 6 Tips

No run today. Took a hint from yesterday’s run.

Weather today was over 90 degrees with high humidity and triple digit heat index. I remember not being able to keep my eyes open and feeling like a rung out dishrag after my run yesterday.

Decided that having a decent workout session on Sunday was worth two lousy sessions on Saturday and Sunday.

However, I did find this wonderful article from RealAge on the fat that collects around your waist and some ideas on how to cut it down. Number 3 is particularly insightful and I really like number 5.

Good reading!

Marathon Training, Electrolytes, and Burnout

In spite of my best intentions, and it being one of those rare sunny Cleveland days, I felt way to fatigued to get out and do the track workout yesterday. Mentally, I was completely burned and physically, I felt wrung out. So when 5:00 rolled up, I was not motivated to go out and do even an easy run. I actually felt like taking a long nap.

In fact, I could hardly keep my eyes open throughout the day.

So instead of going through my mental motivation exercise, I stayed in and read in between some really long blinks.

Tip For Showing Off Your 6-Pack Abs

I recently received this article in my inbox from RealAge regarding weight gain and stress. 

Apparently, excessive dieting can cause additional stress, which in turn can trigger weight gain, something we've seen in the starvation diets.

According to this article, a study that followed 121 dieters revealed a rise in their cortisol levels, a hormone commonly associated with stress.  And prolonged exposure to cortisol seems to do some pretty nasty things to the body, including inducing an increase in weight.

I guess the advice here is to eat sensibly, exercise regularly, and get your rest on and you'll strip off that blanket of belly fat that's hiding your abs.

But you still have to do your lunges and your crunches to tighten up those puppies!

RealAge: Flatten Your Belly With This Eating Habit

Wikipedia: cortisol