Today’s prompt for the Tuesday Topic is: How do you stay active when the weather turns cooler?
Ahem. Is this question mocking me? In South Florida, we’re at the time of year that makes you question your life choices. Still hot! Still humid! Still finishing every run depleted and drenched in sweat! I know in January I’ll be singing a different tune, but phew- “fall” is tough down here.
Still- there’s hope. By the end of October we usually have a change in the weather, even if it’s subtle. In a couple months I’ll be enjoying runs in beautiful weather. I’ll increase my distance, and I might even wear a long sleeve shirt! And then what?
I’m still grappling with my race schedule this year. Nothing has been decided, but this is what I’m thinking right now…
A 50k at the end of January or beginning of February. There are a couple I have my eye on, but I can’t make a final decision until I find out about some events my daughter may be doing. I don’t think the races I’m looking at will be sold out, so it’s okay to wait.
THEN, I would still like a “big event” in March. I can’t find anything that fits my requirements (the right distance at the right time) so I’m thinking of making my own. We’ll call it “Jenny’s Self-Supported Urban Ultra” (or… possibly a more catchy name, TBD). The way I’m picturing it is, it would be on my birthday. I would run from my house to the beach, then to my favorite trail (Yamato Scrub), then back to the trails closer to my house, and end back at my house. Goal distance- 62 miles, or 100K, which would be a new PR (just by a bit, as my current longest run is 60 miles. Still, a PR is a PR!)
I’m liking this idea! I’m enjoying pondering the logistics- are there sidewalks along that street? Where can I pass a 7-11 to replenish my supplies? How can I carry the things I’ll need? It would be my own, personal adventure.
Barring any new developments, I think this will be my plan for 2027. Moving further along… I do have a plan for the following year, which is to run Long Haul 100 in January of 2028. 100 miles! That is a huge goal for me, but I have time to work up to it. Long Haul used to be a “hidden gem” of a race, until Sally McRae ran it last year and talked about it on her podcast. Now it’s hard to get into (much to the chagrin of the Florida trail running community). So first hurdle would be getting in, then training, then running it. But, one step at a time.
Link Up With Tuesday Topics
Welcome back to Tuesday Topics, as Jenny, from Runners Fly joins Jenn at Runs With Pugs to co-host this link-up! Please join us every week for a new topic! Write on our weekly prompt or choose your own topic! Make sure to add your post to the link up, link back to your hosts, and comment on the other shared posts!
Do you wish you lived in South Florida? (No. You don’t).
Any big goals you’re contemplating?
26 Responses
Sorry, Florida never appealed to me. I like 4 seasons! And in the Midwest, I get them in the same month sometimes!
My big goal- not working at my job next year. I’ve felt somewhat tired of parts of my job, and due to some changes that have occurred over the past few years, it’s not as fun anymore. I also think someone else could do a better job. We’ll see if i manage to leave. I’ve been saying this for a few years now.
I love the idea of Jenny’s Urban Ultra. You wouldn’t have to pay an entry fee, and your fans on the internet can give you virtual medals! 100 miles though? You do have a special idea of fun.
( I got my CBWC done in Target yesterday, and that was an effort! We are very different people. But I will cheer you on!)
Can I live somewhere with three seasons? The winters in the midwest are too intense for me!
I like your big goal! I’m cheering you on as well.
I’m glad you have a plan, Jenny, and I hope things work out so that you know your daughter’s schedule in time to register for one of those races before it sells out! Your planned birthday 62-mile run sounds like a great compromise to not finding a race at the right distance at the right time. That’s because the one you wanted to run got canceled, right? It reminds me of the ultra marathon that I planned for my son back when he wanted to run one, but didn’t want to wait until fall when the next local one would happen. I’ll text you a link to the recap!
I read it! It sounded really fun. And yes, the race I had planned on was canceled. Sigh.
100 miles. Oh my days, Jenny.
I love the idea of you creating your own long-distance adventure for your birthday!!
I like it too! It will be fun.
Lol when the weather turns cooler we party. When it gets legit cold + icy + six inches of snow on the roads which inevitably happens from mid January to early March, then we take it inside.
The longer the race, the more that “one step at a time” applies. I do think that you have a century in you (the 100 miler). Your Self Supported Urban Ultra reminds me of virtual racing in COVID – just because we couldn’t run races with other people didn’t mean that we had to stop racing. I like it as a fall back plan, but I’m going to keep my fingers crossed that a “real” race turns up on your birthday.
I’m keeping a lookout for another race to crop up- maybe something to replace the canceled Hungryland. If not I’ll do my own birthday adventure!
Hahahaha yes, I think that question is not intended for those who live in Florida!
That’s a great idea to make your own race. Write your own story, Jenny! Wow, 100 km. That is a lot of kilometres! But it sounds like you have a fun route. How long would it take you to run something like that?
Thanks Nicole! And…ALL DAY. I’ll probably start in the dark, and it will be dark when I finish.
I love the idea of creating your own ultra! That is what a lot of runners around where I live do on their birthday. There is a park with 12 miles of trails, one 5 mile loop, two 3 miles loops and a 1 mile connector trail. I have had friend either pick one loop to do over and over on their bday or just a certain distance and use all of the loops!
I think you can totally do the 100 mile race! I’ve read it is really about just running the mileage from aid station to aid station. That way it breaks it into smaller chunks!
Wow, you have some cool friends! And, I definitely think I can do 100 miles. Not easily, of course. But I think it’s possible.
All of this seems like it’s right up your alley. I hope you get into the 100 mile race. I know that if I was trying for a PR in either time or distance I definitely need race energy.
In the cold weather I’m usually in the gym but have started to learn to ski to be supportive of the whole family having some outdoor winter recreation. My six year old daughter is definitely a better skier than I am though.
Ooh, skiing. I never learned how. It’s definitely a way to actually enjoy the outdoors in the winter.
I agree that a PR might be a challenge outside of a race. I doubt I could do a time PR, but distance should be possible.
I don’t mind the heat but can’t handle the humidity so Florida is not for me! We are starting to get cooler weather here but it’s not quite long sleeve weather in the mornings yet. We do get some chilly low temps here though in the winter — sometimes dipping down into the low to mid 30s — so I get to bundle up on top (but still wear shorts haha) sometimes, but the daytime temps are usually pretty nice and we don’t get snow!
I’m excited to hear about your self-supported 100K! And your 100 miler plan for 2028! I’m hoping to do a self supported 50K on the trails this December when I have time off work, but it feels a little daunting because the furthest I’ve gone self-supported is 20 miles. But I think if I set up my car as an aid station and come through it a few times, I can make it work.
You can definitely make it work! That’s what I do for most of my long runs, especially in the heat. The car is my aid station. And I agree- it’s the humidity that’s really killing us now. We can get down to the 40s a few times overnight in the winter- and then I wear long sleeves, a hat, gloves, and SHORTS. I don’t even own running tights.
Jenny’s Urban Ultra! Of course! Now we need to get a few bloggers down to Florida to cheer you on!
What a fabulous idea!
Thank you Catrina! I’ll settle for virtual cheering : )
Wow. You’ve got some great goals. Have you seen this? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ItOJVLmz8So&xstg=CAMSEBUJ_b-oH-PhF0yjBgbwzzE%3D
It’s getting chilly here – 20-40 in the am but usually warms up by afternoon –
Yes if you are doing your race when I’m in Fl I’ll cheer.
I have seen that documentary! I love Sally McRae. She did Long Haul while recovering from knee surgery, as a qualifier for Badwater. Then she raved about how great the race was, and then next year people who do it regularly had trouble getting in and they were mad, lol. I think it’s going to be one where you have to register right away on the day it opens.
I’m a hard pass on Florida. Sorry, friend! I don’t love our winters but I need to live in a region with a real fall! We had Florida-like weather this past weekend and I did not like it AT ALL. I had already moved on from wearing summer clothing so was not excited to be back in dresses and shorts, sweating like a pig. The weather is back to being cool and crisp today, though!
When I used to run outdoors, I would pivot to more strength training in the winter months because I hated running in dangerously cold temps. You can wear a Darth Vader-like face mask of sorts to make it easier to breath but I was not willing to invest in special equipment to breathe… These days, I pretty much only go to OTF where it’s like 68 degrees in the studio no matter what it’s like outside!
Your birthday plan sounds HARD!! But if anyone can do it, it’s you!!
No, you wouldn’t like Florida! i’m longing for “cool and crisp” weather. We’ll get it, but it’s more like in the winter for us.
I remember running up north in the winter! When it was super cold I would run with a scarf over my face. If I lived up there now, I would probably just run on the treadmill on those super cold days.
I love a good visit to FL in the winter when I haven’t seen the sun in months, but my SIL also says that May-November is just pretty miserable down there. I am impressed at how much that you do still run, even in the heat!
Maybe for your birthday run, you could have some people come and run with you for smaller increments? That could be fun and special!
I remember running in Florida in the summer; it was not fun! I was there from December to September, and by far my favorite months were Jan and Feb, so a race then sounds doable. I would not like to do a race in the summer! I bet the LH100 is hard to get into because it is a WSER qualifier…and that is also probably why Sally ran it (? or maybe it became a qualifier after she ran it?) If you pick one that is not a qualifier it would be easier to get into! However, maybe you want to try running WSER!??!?!? I will pace you if you get in!
Wow. A solo 60 miler on your birthday and then a 100 mile race the next year. Why am I not surprised!
I wore Halloween leggings at Book Club on Sunday and again to school yesterday (two different pairs). We planned our Spooky Spirit Week during the yearbook meeting this week. I can’t believe it’s already mid-October! And this year is a SUPER HALLOWEEN (on a Saturday AND we gain an hour). I’m HERE FOR IT!
Having said all that, it’s been in the 80s for basically all of October, at least down by wear I work, so I feel you on not “feeling” today’s topic. 😉
I have lived in South Florida lol. I barely want to leave in NE Florida.
I miss seasons. And I hate that every year just feels hotter and hotter. Like enough!
Also, I check every single one of your trail photos for snakes. Every. Single. One.