Up in Smoke

View of Main St. up in smoke.

If you didn’t already know, fire season is here and what a season it is! I don’t know about where you are, but here in the foothills where I live, what looks like thick dark fog is a haze of smoke above my head. *Cough* *Cough.* The smoke is primarily coming all the way from The Rim Fire near Yosemite, but there have been lots of other fires closer in proximity that could be adding to the low air quality.

Needless to say my running has certainly been affected. I have had to travel down the hill to run in Folsom. Even then, the air quality is not great, but certainly better than Placerville. I know what you are thinking; Why don’t I just toughen up and run? Surely, it can’t be that bad?! Well, it is. And really, it is just not healthy to be outside. In fact, the Air Quality Management District in El Dorado County has measured the air to be in the very unhealthy zone! So what does this mean? Unfortunately for this outdoor girl, it is recommended that I stay inside and limit outdoor exertion.

Due to all the smoke, my weekly miles will be lacking this week. I am not able to drive down the hill everyday, and sadly I don’t currently have a gym membership. Since I can’t run, I have turned to good ol’ Youtube to get my exercise in. Yoga, pilates, zumba and strength training is what I have been doing in front of the tube. It’s strange, but it works! It is through this that I discovered Blogilates! It might not be a substitute for running, but I do love a good pilates workout and Cassey Ho certainly brings it!

While I have to slightly alter my training schedule for the week and am irritated, it is certainly not worth running in poor polluted air. Not worth it! I don't have respiratory problems, but could you imagine if I did? I need to keep my lungs healthy that is for sure!

Are you stuck in a thick haze of smoke? What are some alternative you are doing to stay smokeless?