It’s 91 degrees out with 43 % humidity and it’s still early. The weather forecast is showing 101 degrees by the peak of the day. I knew it was going to be a hot one but I just couldn’t drag myself out of bed after a late night of scrap-booking. Yes, I made head way on the kids’ Birth to whenever books and stayed out until past midnight.
Around 10 am I finally changed out of the jammies and into my run wear. It seemed to take me forever to get it together to get out the door for a very short run, but a run none-the-less. Hot? Yes, it was hot already and I tried not to get discouraged by telling myself that I’d just go for 3 miles. I demanded a “quality” run today; no easy run would satisfy me. I didn’t figure that this would be an issue since my run would be so short.
Down the street, I passed the neighbors putting large amounts of drinks into a cooler of ice. I turned the corner and headed up the street. With the traffic passing in the other direction, I kept to the sidewalk only slightly irritated by the curbs at the end of each block. Hot as it was, I found myself moaning and groaning here and there. I didn’t want to let the slow pace creep into the run. I pushed harder and harder.
I was heading back towards home not long after I started. My breathing was heavy in the heat of the morning as I pushed even harder. The only problem was that there were MANY cars coming in and out of the grocery store/coffee shop parking lot. They would creep onto the sidewalk to wait for a clearing to move into the street. I wanted to yell for them to get out of the way, but I didn’t.
The man in the big blue car could have waited for me to go before he blocked the sidewalk. He saw me, but I guess he just wanted to see if I would run in front of him and let him hit me. I didn’t. Then there was the mini-van, who made eye contact with me signaling that I could go past in front of her car, only another car was entering the drive on the other side of her. I just stopped running to let them both go. Even though I really tried not to look massively annoyed that the 2nd car couldn’t enter the driveway faster and get out of the way, I know that it showed. The driver just looked at me and it seemed like she was parked instead of driving.
Deep breath. Now RUN. Finally, I was free from the parking lot traffic and on the home stretch. I tried to pick up the pace but I didn’t seem to be successful in this. It just wasn’t happenening anymore. I thought of the amazing performance of Floyd Landis, and tried to use it to fuel my final stretch. I pushed onward. I ran HARD and reminded myself of the plan; 3 miles…just 3 miles. I watched my GPS constantly in those last hundredths of that 3rd mile and began walking immediately after hearing beep for mile 3.
I walked home as I reviewed my stats. Time: 25:35 (8:31/mile pace) YES! Mission accomplished.
Your run today was not so much about the run itself. More like the barriers that pop up – like the heat and traffic. Good to have it over with. Good for you.
Thanks for weighing in on the skivvies debate on my blog. Well done on your run; it sounds very much like a summer day in Manhattan, traffic and all.
Amazing… I would not have been able to run that late in the day – too hot!
And aren’t people in cars so annoying? My favorite are the ones who are trying to pull out of a driveway, taking a right, who never bother to look up and see if a person might be crossing the driveway/parking lot they are in. I usually slap the back of the car if I have to stop short to keep from being hit. I love watching them jump.
Thanks for commenting on my blog. I’m thrilled that the running community is so supportive of my “beginners” effort. If you live in the south, then you get a little used to the heat and humidity. I guess we don’t go better. Keep it up girl! You freakin R-O-C-K.
Wes
I’m proud of your run in the heat. You represented us well with the traffic. A lesser runner might have…lets not go there.
My wife would be proud of your late night scrapbooking.
That pace is amazing in this kind of heat. Kudos to you for getting the job done. I’m sweating just reading about it (I’m also sweating because it’s still in the 90s and humid here.)