Comparing My Recent Running With 2010

I thought it might be interesting (to myself) to compare my running workouts during the "hot" months of May, June and July (up through today, the 11th). In May this year, I ran on 13 days of the month, totaling 94.61 miles with the longest run being 10.5 miles. Last May I ran on 15 days, totaling 82.64 miles, and enjoyed 8.44 miles as my longest run. In June 2011 I ran 13 days, totaled 87.13 miles, and had a long run of 9.0 miles. For June 2010 I ran on 14 days for 96.76 miles and had a peak run of 9.08 miles. And for July so far, I have run on 6 days (2010: 5), totaled 32.1 miles (2010: 40.64), and had a long run of 7.18 miles (2010: 8.53).

For the most part, I have been keeping up with last year's numbers, but I did slip some in June largely due to the record high temperatures and sometimes almost unbearable smoky haze due to neighboring wildfires. Still, I find myself feeling more sensitive to the summer heat and humidity this year than I did in 2010, often resorting to the air-conditioned setting of the treadmill.

Also, I have been training in my current running shoes for more than a year, and it's time to get a new pair. I like the Reebok brand and plan to go see if my local Sears has some similar to what I have been running in. I'm a little hesitant to try a different brand, since the last new running shoes I got hurt my foot and may have been a contributing factor to my leg injury earlier this year. But I can't keep running with the shoes I currently have: they're starting to fall apart on me!

Last year, I was more regular in my workouts, with a set strategy: set the distance I wanted to run, wait until late in the morning for the humidity to lower, even as the temperatures rise (sometimes into the 90's), and just run my course. I tell you, though, neither in 2010, 2011, or in any other year is it easy running here in north-central Florida in the often almost intolerable summer heat and humidity.