So if you've noticed my recent run times in the sidebar under Log Your Run, my total times have been a little higher lately...that's because of two things:
1. I'm only recording my run times outside now, which of course is extremely different from running inside.
2. The weather has a huge impact on my run...esp. the wind resistance! Sheesh!
Last weekend I decided to try a different activity to cross train in between runs, because it's not a good idea to run every day due to the potential for injury, so on Sat. I decided to rollerblade. I had a blast and actually skated better than I expected to, esp. for someone who doesn't skate very often (usually only at the once per month elementary school skate nights with my kids, but we don't go every month).
But something I hadn't factored in was the EXTREME wind resistance I faced! I skated a mile heading south straight into the wind and it was an ENORMOUS workout because I felt like there was a huge wall pushing back against me. It took much more effort to push my feet and skate heading into the wind.
Then I turned around to head the other direction and the wind was pushing me so hard I had to keep applying my brakes to slow down! It was like no workout at all because any pedaling would have made me move way too fast, far faster than I'm comfortable with right now.
So I went home and decided that day might be better and safer on my bike. I changed out of my rollerblades, put on jeans instead of shorts along with my sweatshirt (because, yeah it was COLD!), added gloves to cover my freezing hands, and set back outside.
Again I rode my bike 1 mile into the wind and the workout on my legs was immense! I felt like I was pedaling in slow motion, as if any person walking the trail beside me would easily lap me on foot!
Then I reached the end of the trail and turned around to head the other direction...biking WITH the wind. And all of a sudden everything was extremely enjoyable! I was pedaling mildly and zooming by really fast! It was an awesome, casual ride and I made it to the end of the 3 mile trail in no time. I started thinking, "wow, this is so awesome, I bet I could keep going and lap the trail a couple of times at this rate!"
And then I turned around at the end of the 3 mile trail and began to head back...back facing the opposite direction...riding AGAINST the wind again. So all of a sudden my lovely, enjoyable ride was over and my legs were being tortured once again. I seriously contemplated getting up and walking my bike home, because pedaling in that much EXTREME wind was purely ridiculous!
Fortunately I managed to make it the 2 miles back to the stop on the trail that leads to my house and decided that was enough effort for the day! Plus it had taken me so long to pedal back through the wind that I had to stop and drive IK to a birthday party anyway.
Today the wind was much more subtle, but still a big force impacting my run. I should've tried to run earlier in the day, but my schedule didn't permit it and I didn't end up running until about 4:30pm, and by that time the sunny afternoon was beginning to turn into a much more cloudy day and the wind started to pick up a little more along with a few rain drops bringing in a new rainstorm later tonight that's pouring outside now.
But despite all these factors to consider when running outside in all the elements, I think I still managed to keep a pretty good pace:
1. I'm only recording my run times outside now, which of course is extremely different from running inside.
2. The weather has a huge impact on my run...esp. the wind resistance! Sheesh!
Last weekend I decided to try a different activity to cross train in between runs, because it's not a good idea to run every day due to the potential for injury, so on Sat. I decided to rollerblade. I had a blast and actually skated better than I expected to, esp. for someone who doesn't skate very often (usually only at the once per month elementary school skate nights with my kids, but we don't go every month).
But something I hadn't factored in was the EXTREME wind resistance I faced! I skated a mile heading south straight into the wind and it was an ENORMOUS workout because I felt like there was a huge wall pushing back against me. It took much more effort to push my feet and skate heading into the wind.
Then I turned around to head the other direction and the wind was pushing me so hard I had to keep applying my brakes to slow down! It was like no workout at all because any pedaling would have made me move way too fast, far faster than I'm comfortable with right now.
So I went home and decided that day might be better and safer on my bike. I changed out of my rollerblades, put on jeans instead of shorts along with my sweatshirt (because, yeah it was COLD!), added gloves to cover my freezing hands, and set back outside.
Again I rode my bike 1 mile into the wind and the workout on my legs was immense! I felt like I was pedaling in slow motion, as if any person walking the trail beside me would easily lap me on foot!
Then I reached the end of the trail and turned around to head the other direction...biking WITH the wind. And all of a sudden everything was extremely enjoyable! I was pedaling mildly and zooming by really fast! It was an awesome, casual ride and I made it to the end of the 3 mile trail in no time. I started thinking, "wow, this is so awesome, I bet I could keep going and lap the trail a couple of times at this rate!"
And then I turned around at the end of the 3 mile trail and began to head back...back facing the opposite direction...riding AGAINST the wind again. So all of a sudden my lovely, enjoyable ride was over and my legs were being tortured once again. I seriously contemplated getting up and walking my bike home, because pedaling in that much EXTREME wind was purely ridiculous!
Fortunately I managed to make it the 2 miles back to the stop on the trail that leads to my house and decided that was enough effort for the day! Plus it had taken me so long to pedal back through the wind that I had to stop and drive IK to a birthday party anyway.
Today the wind was much more subtle, but still a big force impacting my run. I should've tried to run earlier in the day, but my schedule didn't permit it and I didn't end up running until about 4:30pm, and by that time the sunny afternoon was beginning to turn into a much more cloudy day and the wind started to pick up a little more along with a few rain drops bringing in a new rainstorm later tonight that's pouring outside now.
But despite all these factors to consider when running outside in all the elements, I think I still managed to keep a pretty good pace:
1.5 miles (outside, in the wind) = 16:50min.
3.1 miles (outside, in the wind) = 35:53min.
3.1 miles (outside, in the wind) = 35:53min.
So not bad at all, but I think my actual time may be a little better than this on a non-windy day. And I still see TONS of room for extreme improvements, because I'm still walking a significant amount of the trail.
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