Comments on Cranky Fitness: Dripping and Cursing

That's one reason why I like living in the prairie...

2008-07-07T13:09:00.000-04:00

That's one reason why I like living in the prairies...it gets super hot, but rarely muggy.

I lived in Vancouver and Ontario for summers and man...how people deal with muggy humid heat is beyond me.

It's why I like running in the mornings...cool and crisp and lovely.

Here in Utah, we have dry heat. It gets terribly h...

2008-07-07T10:06:00.000-04:00

Here in Utah, we have dry heat. It gets terribly hot, but still it's dry. When I went to Korea last year in August, I thought surely I would die. The only relief was a cold shower, then you would walk out and never really dry off. It made everything lotion and make up just flat out gross. And running there was sheer torture, nothing short of taking a sweat bath. YUCK!!

Since I currently live in the DC metro area, I can...

2008-07-06T20:04:00.000-04:00

Since I currently live in the DC metro area, I can attest that living here can be quite hellacious in the summer. July and August are usually the worst. I've been able to get around it by going running later at night, once the sun goes down, and also going to the gym more often for cardio (which is NOT my first option).

I'm a hot weather wimp, too. Perhaps, though, for ...

2008-07-05T16:25:00.000-04:00

I'm a hot weather wimp, too. Perhaps, though, for good reason. This morning, when I went to run at 7:15, it was 72° and 81% humidity. I ran 11 miles and lost about 5.5 pounds -- and I had drunk 28 oz of water/gatorade just before and during the run. This time of year, I can count on losing at least 0.5 # per mile. I DON'T like it at all.

Crabby, get yee to Hawaii and enjoy our gentle tra...

2008-07-05T16:02:00.000-04:00

Crabby, get yee to Hawaii and enjoy our gentle tradewinds!

I live in southern Texas (born and raised). I nev...

2008-07-03T15:42:00.000-04:00

I live in southern Texas (born and raised). I never "got used" to the heat. I do, however, spend lots of money on electricity bills (for the A/C), and only exercise indoors (during the hot days of summer). Those folks who run outside are just nuts!

I live in sunny Australia. Its very hot and going ...

2008-07-03T04:18:00.000-04:00

I live in sunny Australia. Its very hot and going for a run during a hot summers day is very dangerous as we have many snakes where i live. I recommend exercising in the morning or at night when it isnt so hot. Also its important to keep up the fluids.

"The question is: can you function in a caffeine-f...

2008-07-03T03:54:00.000-04:00

"The question is: can you function in a caffeine-free existence?"

I have a friend that can.

She quit caffeine entirely while she trained for her black belt, so by the time she tested she was caffeine free with no withdrawal symptoms.

I love her but I don't see her much.

OT - Crabby et al, this may not be the advice you expect. But I've lived in several of the joyously humid towns on the eastern seaboard - Hampton, D.C. (nobody mentioned good old Boston in August? Lovely! NOT) and I have discovered a strange way to cope:

Bikram yoga class.

You get shut in that room with the heat cranked up to around 105, and you repeat a series of yoga asanas twice for 90 minutes or so.

Certainly not for everyone. And you HAVE to have a good teacher or things can get ugly.

But since discovering Bikram, I have found that I can saunter through Florida and cruise the Chesapeake in the evening in pantyhose, and still retain something resembling a sense of humor -- 'cause nothing, NOTHING, beats the heat of Bikram class.

I just about died when I spent a summer in Atlanta...

2008-07-03T03:06:00.000-04:00

I just about died when I spent a summer in Atlanta. I was just not used to the concept of getting out of the shower and being wet the rest of the day. There's something wrong with that.

I live in Phoenix, and while the summers aren't a picnic, at least I can dry off.

I live in southwest Ohio, where we have plenty of ...

2008-07-02T20:51:00.000-04:00

I live in southwest Ohio, where we have plenty of heat and humidity. Air conditioning is my friend.

A few years ago, some relatives came into town from Colorado for my brother's graduation. My aunt's ankles swelled up to the point where she could barely walk, and I had to go pick up my uncle early one morning from a failed jog. The man has finished several marathons and still couldn't make it five miles in our humidity. 7 AM.

As far as my workouts, if I can only get outside when it's particularly nasty, I figure I'm going to get drenched anyway, so I've actually put a damp t-shirt in the freezer for a few minutes before I go out. It's not pleasant at first, but it works.

Have I ever. Welcome to the Japanese summer!I ste...

2008-07-02T20:31:00.000-04:00

Have I ever. Welcome to the Japanese summer!

I stepped out of my AC'd bedroom the other day, and my glasses fogged up!

Just standing on the train makes sweat drip ever-so-slowly down my back. Someone throw a snowball at me, please. Or 500.

Oh, and because the Japanese are intent on saving energy (kudos, BUT!) - many businesses and gov offices keep the office temperature at 28C (82F)!!! What I wouldn't give for a chilly office, some days. I ask you - what's the point of AC if it's not to keep an office cool?!

Shanna's comment about sums it up for New Orleans ...

2008-07-02T20:29:00.000-04:00

Shanna's comment about sums it up for New Orleans too... people tell me I will get used to it; it will even grow on me.... I'm thinkin'... maybe ALGAE will grow on me in the humidity if I go outside for too long.

LOL...you have no idea...try living in Houston, wh...

2008-07-02T17:53:00.000-04:00

LOL...you have no idea...try living in Houston, where walking from my back door to the car puts me in a sweat.

Summer is definitely meant for being inside. In a nice, cool, air conditioned room.

You never acclimate. You run, you sweat, you then spend the time until your next run trying to hydrate again.

I live in kansas city, so we get our fair share of...

2008-07-02T17:19:00.000-04:00

I live in kansas city, so we get our fair share of humidity.

I don't know what I'm going to do when I have rowing practice 5 days a week- outside! at least it's in the morning??

Ha, April -- I'm in big MO, too. And yes, it can g...

2008-07-02T16:59:00.000-04:00

Ha, April -- I'm in big MO, too. And yes, it can get nasty humid. Almost like you're swimming outside.

I pop in an exercise DVD. Saves gas and time, and it's nice and cool in the AC. :)

heh.I have lived in Missouri (Misery) all my life....

2008-07-02T16:28:00.000-04:00

heh.

I have lived in Missouri (Misery) all my life. Our summers are humid, especially August.

When I was pregnant and had a job that required me to be outdoors a lot, in August, big as a whale, the only thing that kept me from melting was chewing ice all day long and sometimes a cool towel on the back of my neck. I'd just leave it there 'til it dried out.

Hope that helps. Good luck. :)

#6 definitely. That's what I usually do, at least...

2008-07-02T15:43:00.000-04:00

#6 definitely. That's what I usually do, at least! ;)

Wow, reading all those comments and I complain whe...

2008-07-02T14:58:00.000-04:00

Wow, reading all those comments and I complain when the humidity gets above 45%! Which it has been doing more frequently of late. Of course the drugs that make me sweat and the ones that are killing my estrogen are not helping - my personal humidity level is quite high these days.

I've lived most of my life on the Gulf Coast and I...

2008-07-02T14:00:00.000-04:00

I've lived most of my life on the Gulf Coast and I don't feel like I've gotten a proper workout if I don't come home dripping.

That said, yes, it's uncomfortable. Miserable. All you can do is drink plenty of water, try to time your workouts for very early or very late, and be sure to replace electrolytes if your workout is long and/or strenuous.

it is pretty miserable where I live as well. When...

2008-07-02T13:19:00.000-04:00

it is pretty miserable where I live as well. When I was training for a marathon, I had to be out the door by 4:30 to avoid the scorching heat and humidity. It made for a very long day, but was the only way I could get it done.

I was finishing as the sun came up and made sure to run thru every sprinkler system around!

I have no advice, but plenty of sympathy. As some...

2008-07-02T13:07:00.001-04:00

I have no advice, but plenty of sympathy. As someone born, raised and planning to STAY in Southern California, I TOTALLY have Pleasant Weather Entitlement Syndrome (I'm so stealing that phrase, btw!). I remember being at my uncle's house in GA one really hot, humid summer. I got out of the shower, dried off and thought, "Wha? I SWEAR I remembered my back." So I dried it again. And then again. And then again. And then I realized that I COULDN'T STOP SWEATING. Grossest. Thing. Ever.

And may I add, after 10 years in Los Angeles, we'v...

2008-07-02T13:07:00.000-04:00

And may I add, after 10 years in Los Angeles, we've now lived in the Bay Area for 2 years, and it is GOOD!!!!! No more waiting until the sun goes down to do yard work! No more stepping outside and into an oven!
I'd also like to say that my mother grew up in Maryland, and we visited D.C. in the summer when I was little. No wonder politicians are so crabby! I would be too if I had to wear a suit in that kind of humidity!

Last summer, in Hawaii, I would work out in the ev...

2008-07-02T13:02:00.000-04:00

Last summer, in Hawaii, I would work out in the evenings, when the balmy ocean breeze would blow through. Or early morning. Like, before the sun came up. Or, y'know, IN THE OCEAN, 'cause it's Hawaii!
When I lived in Massachusetts, I just gave up and joined a gym.

uh.....correction to above comment....that's walk ...

2008-07-02T12:17:00.000-04:00

uh.....correction to above comment....that's walk my DOG, not walk my DO.....yikes (but, i do pick up the do)

You never get used to it, trust me. I've been in ...

2008-07-02T12:16:00.000-04:00

You never get used to it, trust me. I've been in NC my whole life and hate the heat and humidity. I exercise inside the air conditioned gym, and I walk my do at 5am and 11pm in the summer. But you can appreciate the occasional breaks in the weather or trips... I'm in New England right now on vacation..NH, and it's nearly 89 or 90, but it feels heavenly to me.