I know I should be so grateful for this warm weather, we had such a long winter or so it seemed. I find that I much prefer running in cooler temperatures. Everything just works better.
The last three runs have all had their challenges. Each one was 5 miles (special thanks to Dwight J., Sharon C. & Sgt. D.!), two outside and one on the treadmill.
Dwight's run on July 15 was with Running Buddy through the city of Rosemount and was in the early days of the current heat wave. In general, it was a good run of 5.37 miles. We averaged 11:49/mile which now seems to have been a bit fast, since we were trying to keep it nice and easy as we were running with our dogs and the humidity levels were high. We've been running with our dogs for quite some time and now it's almost impossible to get out of our houses without them. Maddie, our golden retriever, will park herself so close to the front door the minute she sees my running clothes that I practically need a crowbar to open it. Josie, RB's drathaar, is the same way. Normally, the two do just fine during our runs, but with this change in the weather, we need to be mindful that they will do whatever we allow them to do - to their detriment - and we have to ensure that we protect them from themselves as I found out during Sharon's run.
Sharon's run was on Sunday morning when the temp was 78 degrees at 6 a.m. I was going to do 5 miles - 6 if it felt right. Running Buddy is on vacation but Maddie was right there, ready to go. After 4 miles, she had drained both water bottles in my fuel belt and she wasn't looking good. I felt horrible that we were still a mile from home and if there had been a way I could have twitched my nose ala Bewitched, I would have done so to get her home and into the shower as quickly as possible. Unfortunately, I don't have magical powers, so we chugged home as easily as we could and ran through every water sprinkler available. As soon as we were home, I got Maddie into the shower with me to cool her down. Funny - for a dog who loves to jump into the lake, she is not a fan of water sprinklers or showers and will do her best to avoid them however, she was very submissive and it wasn't long before she was cooled down and back to her normal Maddie self.
I should mention that the run was hard on me as well. I often wonder where all that sweat comes from. Seriously! I cannot believe how much pours out of my body, especially from my head. I couldn't keep my ear buds in for the sweat and my hair looked like I'd taken a shower even before I got into the shower. I think I may have dehydrated myself as I had a few muscle cramps later in the day in my calves and upper arm muscles. BTW, our time for the run was 12:17/mile. A little slower than the run on the 15th - a little more walking for Maddie's sake (and mine).
Today's run, Sgt's D's run was on the Dreaded Treadmill. As far as the last week of running has gone, this one was the worst. I HATE the treadmill. It feels so much longer and boring than running outside and I run slower!! 5.00 miles at a 13:10/mile! What's up with that!? Even though the fitness center has air conditioning, I still sweat up a storm and I'm completely at a loss when it comes to spitting! Where the heck am I supposed to spit? Yes, I spit when I run. Heck, I spit when I walk. I'm a spitter. It's not ladylike, it can be rude, but it's what I do. I spit. Sorry! Outside, it's not an issue, I can spit anywhere, but on the DT, it's an issue. Fortunately, I had a few paper towels at hand, a couple for spit and a couple for sweat. I seriously considered breaking up the run, half in the morning, the other half in the evening but I couldn't seem to make myself quit. I wanted to stop, I really truly did! I just couldn't! What the heck is wrong with me? I don't know!
I have two more runs ahead to keep up with my donors. Here's hoping the heat wave breaks soon so I can pound pavement rather than the DT.
The internet is an amazing thing - through it, I've befriended people who share an interest in camping, knitting, cooking and running. The post below is from a camping friend, Kell Johnson, who lost his son Alex 8 years ago to acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Alex went through a bone marrow transplant and chemotherapy. He fought a valiant battle for 168 days. His parents were strengthened by their faith yet struggled with the questions that rattled their faith. Even now, eight years later, the ache in Kell's heart is still strong, his grief palpable. From Alex Johnson's Caring Bridge:
Friday, June 24, 2011 7:13 AM CDT
It has been a long long time since I last journaled here and not not sure how many people continue to visit the site, but I can tell you that we still continue to miss Alex everyday and carry his spirit with us where ever we go.
This year it will be 8 years since Alex was diagnosed and yet it seems like it was yesterday.
I long to hold him in my arms again, hear his voice and see his big smile. Some day things will all be made right again.
Kell
And so I run.
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