Heating Up The Road

I am not a warm weather fan, at least when it comes to running. Some of my worst runs have occured during the dog days of summer, including a confirmed case of heat stroke during the 2001 Marathon By The Sea. I managed to finish the race, but couldn't keep anything down for the rest of the day, and felt like garbage the rest of the week. Will I repeat this amazing feat ten years later? I certainly hope not.

Memories of 2001 lingered in my mind during my 16 mile run on Sunday. The sun was blazing in the sky, and I was running the same course that gave me so much trouble ten years ago. I started off conservatively in an attempt to save some energy for late in the run, slowing down at one point to take a gander at an improptu Simms Corner yard sale. Good thing I didn't spot any old Nintendo games (drop me a line if you have any you want to part with), otherwise I would have quit less than ten minutes into my workout.

With video games out of my mind, I tried to focus on the task at hand. Unfortuately, all I could think about was the heat. I was dripping with sweat, and my running shirt (why I didn't wear a singlet was beyond me) was soaked and chafing my skin. While I wasn't quite boiling, as one cyclist noted about six miles into the run, I wasn't exactly feelin top notch, either.

Luckily, a light breeze cooled me off a bit, and I hit the eight mile turnaround in pretty decent shape. I wasn`t running particularly fast - about a minute slower than my best long runs last year - but I knew that, barring disaster, I would finish in one piece.

That didn't mean that I would finish comfortably. My shorts started to chafe with about six miles to go, and started becoming an issue five kilometers from my house. It didn't matter how much adjusting I did - and I did a lot, sadly - I couldn't stop my shorts from rubbing my legs raw. Remind me to wear a better outfit for my next long run, okay?

I forged ahead despite the comfort, and landed back at my house before I hit any sort of physical or mental wall. Considering the run was about four miles longer than my best effort, I won't complain. At least not until my legs start aching, that is.