My Running Picking Up Again

It hasn't been an easy go of it this summer with my running. After all, I remember the great progress I made last year, far surpassing the endurance running I even did back in my late teens in the mid-1970's. And much of this was done in excruciatingly hot conditions. This summer, I have had more severe issues with upper respiratory problems. To make things worse, it has also been consistently more humid this year than last. And a very high humidity is a hindrance to my running, much more so than high temperatures. But here I am now at the end of September and the beginning of autumn. And, without planning it at all, things seem to be picking up with my running in spite of a continued lack of cooperation from the weather.

The idea that, in the middle of a shift away from heavy running, I would end up with a 15-day streak of daily running, is something that I couldn't have foreseen. But two weeks later, I have gotten back to integrating this activity into my life on a habitual level. Some of my runs have just been around my block (2/3 of a mile), but most are longer. I have taken refuge during really adverse weather conditions in the air-conditioned sanctuary of my local YMCA, running on the treadmill there on a couple of occasions during this streak. I haven't yet returned to the longer distances that I ran last year, but I am confident that I'll gradually build up to around 7-10 miles for two to three times a week. And yes, I once again see competing in half-marathon races as a viable prospect for the near-future.