Runners Lounge: Good Things About Running In Hell Heat (again)

by Amy Hunold-VanGundy in Training and Racing
May 26, 2008

It was like Mother Nature fired a warning shot yesterday. Our first day of clothes-soaking humidity. Crazy weather. Saturday, my kids and I froze at the zoo, even with jackets and pants. Sunday, we are stripping it all off for 86 degrees with the same measure of humidity.

I battled the heat, humidity and wind from the seat of bike. I did about an hour at a good clip and felt so good I added in a tiny little run. It was nice! It made summer feel like it never left.

I do love summer, I do. But, the heat, the humidity, the wind. sigh. It is as annoying as I remember it from last year. It made me start asking the question - what is it good for anyway? What purpose does humidity serve?

And then I remembered I had answered that question last year with my rivoting list "10 good things about Hell Heat." As you ease back into the summer weather in the midwest and north, here are a few good things running in the heat does for us:

10. Hot weather brings out compassion in others. In this heat, I turn to a red faced, huffing/puffing monster of a runner. I find that my state of almost dying brings out the best in fellow runners, bikers and walkers. I had three people stop me and ask me if I was ok. (Yes mom - I was fine!)

9. People revere me as a tough athlete. In the winter, no one asks what I ran or even glances my way. In the summer, my sweat and pained expressions make them jump to "boy, how far did you go". I never have the heart to tell them that is my normal expression, I haven't even started yet.

8. It is a free body cleansing. All the unnatural impurities that I counted as food this week have been flushed from my body by an outpouring of sweat. The cookies, the beer, the cheetos, the Red70 and other coloring/sugar from kool aid.....all gone. No need to go to a sauna, hot house or have a body wrap. My body is as good as new.

7. My pain threshhold expanded. Four words -- sweat-in-the-eyes. Ouch! If I can stand that, I can make it a few more miles. Yes, I am stronger.

6. Time by myself. When I get home, I get to sit by myself without anyone hanging on me - my kids hate it when I am sweaty. As gross as I feel, I enjoy my few minutes in my chair (granted it isn't a nice one) all by myself.

5. Removal of mysterious stains. Standing at the sink to get more water, the sweat removed the mysterious stain that has been on the counter for weeks. 409, Clorox with bleach, Windex...nothing has removed it - but I can. Yep, that's gross - but welcome to my life of little accomplishments.

4. I get my buck out of my laundry detergent. I am a very cheap person, so "value" of my dollar is always forefront in my mind. I know that for this round of laundry, I will get my money's worth from my laundry detergent. No slacking allowed on the job for this load.

3. I accomplished more than before. In hot weather, wind or other nasty conditions, I earn extra credit for my workout. I just feel like I accomplished something more than my running log will record.

2. Gatorade actually tastes good. A good run on a hot day makes gatorade taste like the most wonderful thing on the face of the earth. And also water. It's about the only time I think "yum" when I drink water.

1. Cookies and beer. And of course, if I did this bike and run in these miserable conditions, I earn an extra dose of one of my favorite guilt free pleasures. And boy, do they taste ssswwweeeeettt!

There. I did it. I found 10 nice things about this weather.

Photo of temperature by billybackybear

Photo of humidity by <vincent />

Photo of hills by Allmightymo