My Fitness Training Of Late

I remember that at this time last year I was focusing on running as my one big fitness activity, trying then to work around the sweltering hot summer weather predominant here in northern Florida. This year I have diversified a little, adding swimming and some cross-training in the weight room into the mix. And I am still dealing with the hot and humid weather, although thankfully (as you can see from the picture above, taken at my local Magnolia Parke Starbucks) we have lately been getting a lot of rain to quench those obnoxious forest fires that had been causing the stinky smoky haze for the previous few weeks. That haze has all but disappeared, and the record high temperatures earlier this month have abated as well, leaving unpleasant enough conditions to deal with anyway. To counteract the heat and humidity, I have been spending some of my workouts at my local YMCA's workout room, which they call the "Wellness Center" (as opposed to their other places that are devoted to sickness, I suppose).

Last Thursday (6/23), I got up and out early to the YMCA pool to find an open spot in which to swim. I swam about 150 meters straight, alternating as usual between freestyle and my "easy" backstroke. Friday (6/23) I slept in and hurried down to the YMCA to run on the treadmill. I managed a "feel good" 4.1 mile run at a time of 35:51 before I had to stop and get ready for work. Saturday (6/24) I was back in the Wellness Center, this time using the elliptical cross-trainer for 35 minutes (level 12-15 resistance). Sunday I went back again to the treadmill, covering 7.0 miles at a time of 58:39 and increasing my speed up to a 7:30/mile pace at the end. Another "feel good" run. Yesterday I managed to drag myself out of bed at get back to the pool, which was more crowded (uh-oh), even at 6:30 AM. I swam 300 meters straight this time, using my usual format. I'm optimistic about getting my distance higher and improving my form. Today I tried a late-morning road run around my neighborhood. It was brutal, with the temperature being 80 and the humidity 81% at the start. Originally intending to cover my course of 7.18 miles, I had to cut it short at 5.69 miles due to the adverse conditions. My time was a typically paced 52:39. My recovery from the run seems to be going pretty well.

Last year at this time I think I was running some longer distances outside, but I was generally resting on the days between runs instead of cross-training. Also, I was waiting until the humidity had dropped considerably, even if it meant running in 90+ degree conditions. So I can't really tell whether I'm doing better or worse than before. But the good news I have to report is that neither my old IT band injury or the recent top-left foot pain has bothered me at all during my workouts, regardless of whatever I have chosen to do recently...