What is everyone doing tomorrow given the air forecast?

[lizhartman]

I’m curious to know what everybody is planning to do tomorrow for your runs since the air is supposed to be so bad again… Treadmill? Cross training day?

[DanVerderosa]

I’m going to do a HIIT workout in place of a fartlek I had planned. I have a stationary bike but it’s cheap and the resistance doesn’t go high enough for a hard workout. I ran this morning and it didn’t feel great.

[Sandy (Sandy Gregorich)]

Does anyone know how long this bad air is supposed to last? Today is worse than yesterday. As much as I wanted to do a hard workout today I think I will have to head to the gym and spin on an indoor bike. Sadly not the same.

[adamengst]

I just posted links to some additional resources:

Resources about exercise and air quality

Unprecedented conditions, runners, and we’re all having trouble figuring what we should and should not do while this continues. The EPA has a well-done site at AirNow.gov that provides current conditions, although when you look at their monitors, there’s only a ozone monitor above Treman; their closest particulate monitor seems to be Syracuse. However, these are official monitoring stations. For a map with more local particulate reading, check out the PurpleAir map that includes three private…

From what I can tell, forecasting air quality is very difficult because it’s so tied up with weather patterns. The AirNow site only forecasts the current day and the next day, and it’s not giving any indication about tomorrow.

AirNow.gov

The NYS DEC also has a forecast page, and it too has no data for the extended forecast.

Today's Air Quality Index (AQI) Forecast for New York State

Given that we’re red or purple right now, exercising indoors is probably the better part of valor.

[tonya (Tonya Engst)]

The New York Times has a visual 8-hour predictive map to track the smoke.

Tracking the Smoke From the Canadian Fires

[David_R]

I was on my treadmill for a while then wanted to go out on my bike to a trail to hike, but the air quality reading unhealthy in the danger zone. “No such thing as Climate Change,” ('ya, right).

[lizhartman]

I ran on my treadmill last night and again this morning. I was really hoping that the weather would clear up for tomorrow but it doesn’t sound like that is anticipated.

[bobtalda]

Treadmill. Torture - but only mentally. Much less likely to inflict long term damage than air - particularly at noon when just walking half-mile to gym was unpleasant ( should have masked)

[kuwanna-dyerpietras]

Having run Cayuga Trails this weekend, I had planned a few extra days for recovery, though ironically recovery is coming faster than I anticipated…still, I can’t imagine breathing in too much of that campfire-smoke-smelling air right now like we do when we’re out running. Had I not raced I might also use the extra days as rest, or if I got too antsy I’d ride our spin bike downstairs.

@Sandy I agree it is worse today, even in Vestal where I live. The air was a hazy tan all yesterday and today, and just a few minutes ago our AQI here was still climbing and up to 239.

I have my fingers crossed for Friday! I wish everyone the best while we’re all indoors!

[lizhartman]

I completely agree about the mental torture of the treadmill. I’m so relieved that I got to be back outside by Thursday afternoon. Now fingers crossed the smoke doesn’t come back!