If my silence here on the blog for the past week is any indication, this past week was extremely busy. Not only was it the second week of my curriculum project (this coming week is my last week that I’ll be working on it), but on Thursday little man, my mom, and I drove up to northern New Jersey to visit my grandfather. We thoroughly enjoyed our long weekend with him, and while we were there also got to visit with other members of our extended family during a pool party and BBQ at his house on Saturday.

These two just couldn’t get enough of each other this past weekend
Speaking of the pool, little man got to experience swimming in the pool for the first time this past weekend. He wasn’t so sure of it during his first time in the pool on Friday, but thoroughly enjoyed it on Saturday.

My happy little pool baby
Just because we were out of town didn’t mean that I let me training go to the wayside. I headed out Saturday morning for a seven mile run to be greeted by the heat (it was already 83 degrees when I finished my run at 9:00 a.m.), and the tough hills of northern New Jersey. It was by far my hardest run since I started training again four weeks ago, and there were many times when I wanted to stop running and just walk back to my grandfather’s house. Thank goodness that many of the sidewalks that I ran on were shaded, as I’m pretty sure that that’s the only thing that gave me motivation to continue on with my run every time that I wanted to throw in the towel.

One of the many hills that I ran up, and then down, during Saturday’s long run
Our current heat wave is supposed to continue on for the foreseeable future. Though summer is my favorite season, its making training quite challenging. Although I completed all three of my planned runs for the week in the morning, instead of in the evening which is my usual pattern, my strength training once again fell to the wayside this past week. Since this coming week is a cutback week for my training mileage, I really need to focus on making the strength training a priority. I don’t want to have another week where I only strength train once.
Mon 7/18 – 30 minutes on the elliptical, 25 minutes of weight training (upper body, lower body, abs)
Tues 7/19 – 3.46 mile run, 0.24 mile cool down walk
Wed 7/20 – 2.33 mile walk
Thurs 7/21 – 3.11 mile run, 0.45 mile cool down walk
Fri 7/22 – Rest day
Sat 7/23 – 7.00 mile run, 0.37 mile cool down walk, 1.04 mile walk
Sun 7/24 – Rest day
Total Weekly Mileage – 20.61 miles (3.06 miles more than week 3)
Total RnRPhilly Mileage – 79.58 miles
QOTD: How are you handling the current heat wave?
I’m linking up with Holly from HoHo Runs and Tricia from MissSippiPiddlin for the Weekly Wrap link up. Be sure to check out their posts as well.
So fun that you got to travel to NJ. I really like it there! Good job on the 7 miles! It’s been tough for me here because as you mentioned, we are in a heat advisory and not much running has taken place.
The pic with little man and your grandpa is just precious!
It made my heart so warm to see them smiling with each other as much as they did.
You’ve been doing a lot of traveling this summer! Which means you get to run in a lot of new places. That always makes training less of a chore.
So many people want to see little man. 🙂
I cannot with this heat wave! I’m happy you found shade. I had picked a non-shaded path a few runs ago and totally regretted my decision!
Oh no!
The heat is sapping my energy. It is such a struggle post run!
Oh I hear you.
I love the picture of the baby with his grandfather. So cute!
Me too.
Glad he liked the pool! The cool water must’ve felt good.
It absolutely did.
Little man is such a cutie! I’m glad he liked the pool! And yes – this heat is FOR REAL!
Thank goodness he liked the pool. It was the best way to combat this heat wave.
Very impressive that you kept up the training while traveling 🙂 he photo of the baby in the pool is adorable! I’ve definitely been struggling with the heat but getting up earlier has seemed to help this week.
I’m doing the best that I can with running in the morning. It doesn’t work all the time, especially with a baby, but I’m very thankful when it works out.
I’m actually loving running in the heat. My runs feel good but are still hard under the heat of the sun. I tried to get out early for my morning run yesterday and slept in by mistake!
Great job with your runs!
I don’t normally mind running in the heat but its really starting to get to me.
Baby is getting so big already so so cute. I stay inside!
He’s growing way too fast!
I love that y’all got to spend time with your grandfather! Great job toughing out that long run! And your little pool baby is so adorable!!!!
I’m so glad that we could go up there for a long weekend. He never thought that he’d live to be a great-grandfather so he’s thoroughly enjoying the time that he gets to spend with little man.
Aw, looks like the little one had fun. I have a water baby myself. Can’t keep him out of the water! I live in Charleston so this heat wave is just normal for us. It was 90 degrees last night when I was running and I thought that felt cool. Yikes. I’m so ready for something a little cooler very soon.
Me too.
great week! Way to get it done while out of town! That baby pic is the cutest thing ever-love the hat! I get up early and run and that keeps me around the 73-75 degree mark right now but the f=dang humidity is usually 80% and higher! My coach reminds me it is making me tougher!
I keep reminding myself that all of this summer running will (hopefully) pay off in the fall.
This intense heat in the Northeast is definitely getting in the way of training. Even if I wasn’t injured, I find it really difficult to run as far as usual in the intense heat or humidity. And it doesn’t look like this “dome” is going anywhere…
It made me really sad yesterday to see that it was cooler in Florida than here in the DC area.
This heat is killing my runs lately too. Looks like you all had a great visit with your family
We did, thanks Deborah.
This summer has been really difficult for many who are training–the temps are pretty variable, and now the heat and humidity are crushing many! But as long as you are smart about exposure, it is best to be out there and get acclimated.
I’m trying to be as smart as I can. I really don’t want to be sorry for pushing myself too hard in this heat and humidity.
Aw, love the family time and pool time! The heat has been so unbearable, but I just keep trying to find the shade and not think about how sweaty and awful I feel, lol! Great job on that 7 miler, especially with hills!
Thanks Janelle. And the sweat…I’ve been so gross at the end of every run recently.
So impressed by your training schedule with the heat and the little one. You rock!
Thanks Lindsay. Just doing the best that I can.
Oh he’s such a cutie, and he’s getting so big! He’s got a great smile though!
I hear ya about busy weeks, I felt like last week went by like a blur for me so I totally get it, and the blogging thing, I’ve broken every one of my blogging goals by no choice I just haven’t been able to keep up with it as much as before.
Its seems like a lot of people are struggling with keeping up with blogging lately. Life definitely hasn’t been boring!
I successfully “handled the heat” by staying inside most of last week (in recovery mode LOL). I did head out for five miles early Saturday morning, though, and it was so humid! I can handle the heat/humidity, but I was such a sweaty mess when I returned home (YUCK!) It keeps us humble 😉
It most certainly does.
First of all, Little Man is beyond ADORABLE!!! He is getting so big, I feel like you just had him!! 🙂
Great job on the 7 miles in extreme heat. Summer running can be tough, but you did it!
I try to run early morning or evening to avoid the heat.
Thanks, he’s growing way too quickly for my liking.
Oh, there is nothing better than getting to visit with family. I know they were happy to spend time with Little Man. Great job in pushing through on your long run! The only way I can survive the southern heat is to get out before 6 a.m. I am guaranteed to have shady streets for a couple of hours (so important for those long runs!). I need to make sure I don’t skip my strength training either! Thanks for linking, Kathryn.
Oh they loved visiting with him.