Welcome,
Thank you to everyone who took the time to fill out the newsletter survey. I appreciate all of the honest feedback. I wanted to address a few things from the survey since there were a few reoccurring messages.
First, it isn't that I want to be either rich or famous from the newsletter (HA!), but I do need to evaluate where my time is best spent.
A few comments I received:
More blog-style newsletters. I blog almost every day on my domain fueledbylolz.com. This is where all of the race recaps, product reviews, diners, and "life posts" are. The blog lives at fueledbylolz.com, whereas the newsletter is a once-a-week newsletter that comes to your inbox. The original intent of the newsletter was to give information that relates to anyone, where the blog is my life and journey. I've blogged since 2011 and written the newsletter since 2019. Do they overlap? Of course.
Longer newsletters with more information.
More newsletters per week (I think we all get enough emails and once a week is probably a good max from me)
Turning the newsletter into once a month. I've thought about this too, but I think I prefer once a week.
More running memes. I actually post a running meme a day on Facebook, but more memes are an idea I am all for.
More topics for advanced runners.
Highlighting the discussion from the Thursday newsletter forum. Most people don't participate in the Thursday forum, but you are always welcome to share your own stories! I always love this section because I appreciate learning about others and their own running.
Interviews: A while back, I did several interview-style newsletters with race directors and even coaches. I do want to bring that back. If you have a fun running story or are doing something in the running space, send me a separate email at fueledbylolz @ gmail dot com.
Anyway, there will be a few minor changes, but I do think the newsletter will continue to hit your inbox on Monday mornings. It really does mean a lot to everyone that took the time to share feedback. Of course, my email is always open for feedback too.
Since this newsletter is long, I'm keeping today's topic brief. I wrote more about this on my blog as well. I've been on the East Coast for 10 days, and I'm *finally* going back home to the desert on Tuesday. Although am I ready? Probably not.
Anyway, I've realized that I run better in lower temperatures with humidity versus higher temperatures without humidity.
How does someone even better in the humidity?
I'm sharing my own story because I'm sure someone else can relate to it. Or maybe you can relate to it and don't even know it yet. Now first, keep in mind I'm talking about extremes like when temperatures are above 85 degrees. Everyone is going to run better in dry 60 degrees over humid 60 degrees.
But what about when the temperatures are 85? or higher? 95? 100?
When I moved first moved to the desert, I thought: this will be nothing. I've run through humid summers for years. Dry summers will *feel easy*. Boy, was I wrong.
Desert running is hands down the hardest weather I've personally run through, which says a lot since I've lived in upstate NY winters and Texas summers. Now running in Virginia this week, I actually feel *normal*?
What happens when you run in extreme dry heat?
When running in the desert heat, your sweat will often evaporate before you even feel it. It becomes very easy to dehydrate. In fact, because you aren't "sweaty," you might not even feel yourself dehydrating. BUT, from personal experience, you will, and you will dehydrate much faster.
Typically people stay cool in two different ways:
The first is by conduction. This is the transfer of heat energy to the skin's surface followed by convection, the transfer of heat energy into the air. The hotter it gets (humid or not), the harder it is to shed that heat.
When it gets too hot, we rely on perspiration. The liquid sweat heats up until it becomes water vapor and breaks free of the body. This removes heat from the body and reduces our core temperature.
When running in extreme heat, you need more water (and electrolytes) faster. Water is better than nothing but an electrolyte drink is the best. A normal person can sweat 1.5-2 quarts per hour and not realize it because the sweat evaporates off before cooling you. You'll "feel dry" but might have sweat more than in humid conditions. This is how you can become dehydrated at a faster rate.
This has become my issue. I sweat more on a 3 mile run in the desert than a 12 mile run on the East Coast. In fact, any run above 3 miles, I carry water. Yet any time I come back from a run in the desert, I am dry. With the humidity on the East Coast, I come back drenched and knowing I sweat a lot.
So what is the point of this?
Just because it's a dry heat does not mean it's easier. In fact, many people might struggle more with 100 degrees and dry versus 80 degrees with 100% humidity. Everyone is different. Hydration is essential no matter where you live.
I'm sure you've heard it in a dozen other places, but you will run slower in the heat and extreme temperatures. That is the way it is.
What is Keeping Me Entertained This Week?
Saucony Endorphin Speed 2 Shoe Review
Ali on the Run: On the Job with Jill Cardamone, Soup Engineer. It was fun and interesting to learn more about Campbell’s soup located in South Jersey!
2021 Hardrock 100 Results: A Course Record for D’haene and a Near Miss for Stanley. This looks like both a beautiful and challenging course. I mean, any 100-mile race isn't easy, haha.
Welcome to the COVID-19 Olympics: How Team USA is Coping with Safety Protocols. My guess is we will see a few well-known athletes have to drop from a positive COVID test.
Tokyo Olympic Track Viewer’s Guide and Schedule
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