Track repeats – still running this 

I’ll be honest. Summer is a tough running season. It’s hard to motivate yourself to move when you’re sweating standing still.  In cold weather, it’s hard to motivate yourself to get out the door and for the few minutes it takes to warm up.  In hot weather, it’s hard to motivate yourself to keep going the entire time.

Especially if you could be paddleboarding instead.

Enter Greg – he was going to go do track repeats. We had a babysitter. I didn’t like the idea of track repeats. I do like Greg.

We realized that Greg could do a recovery lap at a pace that felt challenging for me, and so he would do a hard lap while I walked near the track entrance, then I’d join him for each recovery. We warmed up together and cooled down together, both did challenging workouts for us,  and I got to see a lot of him.  I would not have run as many repeats, as quickly, without stopping if I hadn’t had him watching and joining me on my hard laps.

Today, two days later, we went for separate runs but I met him for his last mile. I finished hard, he finished easy, I ran more than I would have without him.

Running hard in the heat made me realize that motivation is a huge problem for me in the summer. I was able to run faster and further than anticipated in hot conditions if Greg was there – so it’s not just a problem of temperature and hydration. I don’t like running in heat. I need extra motivation, but I can do it, and I feel great afterwards. 

Maybe just knowing it was motivation all along will help me run closer to full throttle despite the heat!

That said, be careful out there – heat stroke and dehydration aren’t to be messed with.

“Summer running, happened so fast…”

I took a picture of myself sweating. You’re welcome.