October 2010 Week 1 – 4.32, 3.09 & 3.68 Mile Runs

The continued prayer is, “Lord keep me focused. Keep my mind stayed on You. Help me to bring You praise. I know You believe in me. Please help me in my unbelief. Amen.”

The first week of the month is usually pretty busy at the office so I haven’t had the desire to update the blog after most days. However, I did manage to get out 3 times this week.

The first two runs were pretty similar and *very* nice. They were after work and well after the heat of the day. There was hill work after mile one but I kept fighting. Usually I do the 4 and 1 thing when I’m doing hill work, but not these times.

The first time I took Sarah and that was an unmitigated disaster! She ran after every dog she saw. The ones on leashes, behind wrought iron fences, even dogs she heard but couldn’t see. It was terrible. I spent more time keeping her from running all over the place than I did on keeping good form. I paid for it afterward. My knees and lower back were killing me, but it felt good to be out there. The second run was perfect. Felt *so* good and I slept so well.

The last run was ugly and painful. It was 82 degrees when I started. That should have been fine. It was warm, but not terrible. At the .75 mile mark it was pretty hot so I was trying to figure out which side of the street has the most shade trees. At the 1.25 mile mark, I got a cramp in my left calf so I took some water at the next traffic light and I kept fighting.

At mile 2, what is going on? I hit the wall and this just can’t be! Who hits the wall at mile 2? This was hardly a sprint, I was barely running! But my body was fighting me and protesting every step of the way. What is going on?! Shortly after I passed the 2 mile mark, breakfast started to come up. Pancakes and sausage were a *bad* idea! Ewww….

When I g0t to the 3.25 mark, I was completely defeated and ready to cross the freeway. I took a moment while I’m standing at the light to check the temperature. It was almost 90 degrees!!!!

I was annoyed and relieved. Annoyed because I checked the temp before I left home and 82 degrees really should have been fine. 90 is *way* too hot! How could the temperature climb so quickly?! I was relieved because now I know what the problem was and I realize I’m not having a stroke…. Yet. It was just too damn hot! Maybe some runners can perform just was well in extreme heat, but I'm not there yet. When it's too hot, my body shuts down almost immediately. I decided I’d better walk the last half mile. Ah… that’s too bad. I was looking forward to a nice run and this one was turning out to be a bitter disappointment.

Then! “Eye of the Tiger” came on the iPod at the last quarter mile and I had to run it in. You can’t walk when that song comes on! It’s the eye of the tiger, it’s the thrill of the fight!

This is why we run…