the temperature goes from 66 degrees to 89 with a feel like of 93 degrees in 24 hours AND you have an hour run? Well, let me try to give you some visual imagery. I headed out in my cute purple skirt sports running skirt with a matchy tank thinking hmmmmm, my legs feel a bit heavy. I tried to just relax and settle in to a reasonable pace, which worked for a little bit. Then the heat started to overtake me starting from my midsection and sweltering up through my head, just like those heat waves radiating from blacktop – seriously, that is how it felt. When mile one clicked off and I saw I was sub 9 minute pace, I said to myself, “self, you really can slow down.” And really, I tried. But, when mile 2 chimed I was faster yet, and then mile 3 beeped – holy crap girl slow down!! I got to the Kwik Trip about a 1/4 mile shy of 4 miles. I went straight to the cups, ice, water, then walked right in the walk-in beer cooler and drank my water there. It is a good thing I had my road ID on, as it would have been a shame if I something had happened in that cooler and I was not able to be identified 🙂 With my body temperature cooler, vision clearer, and not so light-headed I decided it was time for plan B. I cut the mileage short, ran 5 minutes, walked 2 minutes. I nursed my way home with this interval method. Upon entering my house I marched straight to the freezer, put my head in, a bag of frozen corn on the back of my neck and frozen peas on my face. I think I stood like that for nearly five minutes before I could get a glass of ice water and sit down to upload my “run” from my garmin onto Garmin Connect. To my amazement I averaged a 9:27 pace including the walking.
I will count this a plus in the books and pray that I am somewhat heat acclimated now. Let’s hope!