It's baaa-aaaack!

The rash that is. No surprise given the fact that I ran in BILLION degree temperatures tonight. (OK, so maybe I'm exaggerating a little bit, but dammit... it was f'ing HOT!)

I must give a major shout out to my coach, Valerie & thank her for bringing that ice cold water cooler to the parking garage tonight. I swear I wanted to kiss her when I saw it! Just the 1.5 mile run to the parking garage was excruciating. I'd already done 2 rounds up & down the parking garage before she got there w/ the water & I thought I was going to pass out. I grabbed a big cup-ful of ice water, took a big swig, then dumped the rest all over my head. Good GAWD did that ever feel GREAT! After almost every round I'd pour a little more over my head & arms to cool myself down. I wouldn't be surprised if I was steaming after each pour. (One of these days I might just bring a thermometer with me to see how high my temperature gets on days like this. It was awful.) By the time I was done w/ the parking garage, the water was gone. I unscrewed the top & saw it was 1/2 full of ice so I grabbed a big cupful & made my way back to the park. I took a handful of ice & rubbed it all over my arms, face, & neck. Then I took a bunch & stuffed it down my sports bra. WOO! That felt good!!! It helped keep me cool the rest of the way back to the park.

Despite my near heat stroke, the run actually went extremely well. We did a 1.5 mile warm up run to the parking garage, then did 6 runs up & down the parking garage (3.6 miles), then 1.5 mile cool-down run back to the park. Here are my stats:

Temperature: 94º
Heat index: 105º
Humidity: 50%

1.5 mile warm-up - 20:35 - avg. pace/mi. - 13:43
3.6 miles in parking garage - 42:50 - avg. pace/mi. - 11:53 (Holy CRAP! I must really pick up speed on those downhills!)
1.5 mile cool-down - 23:39 - avg. pace/mi. - 15:46 (I started out walking back VERY slow because I was SO overheated, but started running again after about 1/2 mile)

Total: 6.6 miles - 1:27:04 - avg. pace/mi. - 13:11

I like it!! I can only imagine how much I'd kick ass if it were about 30º cooler!

Despite my fast times today, it really was practically unbearable in regards to the heat. As I said in the beginning of this post, the heat rash is back on my legs & worse than before. My clothes were once again dripping wet with sweat & if it weren't for the ice water available to dump over my head, I'm sure I would've eventually passed out. Times like that I start to ask myself why in the world I am out there doing such a crazy thing. I know it's for cancer research but some times I want to say "SCREW IT" & just want to stop. However, every time I start to feel that way I'll come across a stranger who will give me a boost he or she never knew I needed. Tonight it was the business man in a full suit walking to his car in the parking garage with his co-worker. As I rounded the corner onto his level, he said "now THIS girl I've been watching from my office at the top of the parking garage! She's amazing & she deserves a round of applause!" Then he & his co-worker proceeded to clap & cheer for me as I ran past them. It gave me a much needed push & made me feel good. :)

Last week it was the grey haired old man running towards me along Allen Parkway. I was SO hot & feeling SO tired & really just wanted to stop, go home, & crawl into bed. But as soon as I came upon him he said with a big grin on his face, "Lookin' good girl! You're doing a GREAT job! I like your style!" It made me smile & giggle & gave me an extra burst of energy. Funny how a few simple words from a stranger can make such a difference in your attitude, eh?