August in Dallas is hot. This week has seen temperatures of over 100 degrees every day. During a run, this obviously feels less than comfortable. Sweat is pouring down into the eyes, the Garmin shows times and other stats that are disappointing to say the least, and it is exhausting in general.
My rule is that I never run more than two times in a row when the temperature gets so high. However, in my zeal for running I sometimes forget about that rule, as I did earlier this week. I am definitely paying the price now. I am more tired, and my husband would probably tell you that I am a bit more irritable, even emotional, and if you knew me you would know that that was really saying something. I am normally not what you would call particularly emotional anyway, so most people wouldn't notice much, but I certainly do and so do the people I live with. At least we know what the problem is, and that I now have it under control so it won't last much longer.
I haven't forgotten my rule very often, but the first time was a doozy. I hadn't actually made the rule at that point because I hadn't yet realized its necessity. I had been running in weather that I knew was hot, but I didn't know that it had crossed the magical triple digit threshold until the radio announcer I heard on my Walkman during the run (this was many years ago, when I was young and foolish and Walkmans ruled for on-the-go music) said that Dallas had already had three days of over 100 degree temperatures and was expecting more. He even said that everyone should stay indoors as much as possible due to the danger of heatstroke and the like. I worried a little, because I had run every one of those three days. However, I thought that since I felt okay, I'd keep on, and I even felt so good that I ran the next day. By the day after, which was a Friday, I could barely get out bed to stand upright. I called in sick to work, took my daughter to school, and went to the store to buy the largest bottle of Gatorade and the biggest watermelon I could find. I then staggered into my apartment and stayed on the couch for the better part of that weekend, barely able to move, trying to get fluids into my dehydrated body.
I know that I am not the only runner to do something like that, and I am definitely not the only athlete to perform in sub-optimal conditions. Why do we do it? The same reason that we always do it. Running, and I imagine many other athletic pursuits, makes many of us feel good. I'd even use the word addiction to describe what happens. There have been times I've been driving home and will see someone already out running and feel a stab of jealousy. Then I remember that that will be me in a few minutes, when I get home and lace up my running shoes. And by this weekend, even if it's triple digit temperature time, I'll be out there, probably doing 8 miles instead of my usual (non-heatstroke advisory warning) 10. I'll be back to normal in a month or so, and I'll hope for a mild winter!
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