It’s been a sufferfest. Days verging on properly hot and obscenely humid. It fried my brain. (Heat really does make you dumber.) I’ll blame that for missing my self-imposed Sunday night deadline for this project.
Temps hit the upper 80s, but the killer was the dew point. Most people talk about relative humidity, but dew point is where it’s at. Dew point above 65˚ is oppressively humid, and the week hit 70˚ on some days.
And many of us were out there suffering. It sucks. Sure, there’s the necessary heat adaptation for any of us with summer plans. But the suck is partially the point.
Discomfort is good for us. I’m uncomfortable writing these things. It’s hard hitting the “Post” button. But whatever happens, if no one reads this, it won’t be as hard as last Sunday, climbing up the Hot-Short mountain trail. Almost four hours in, going slower than I’d wish, working up a 1200’ climb, humid as all get out, pushing 90˚F—there was suffering. I wasn’t going to die, there were no medical issues, I knew I’d make it back to the car, but it was simply awful.
Getting caught in a downpour while five miles away from a car. Misjudging water and being thirsty for the last few miles. Sloshing through a creek, dealing with wet feet. Hamstrings screaming when climbing up the last fucking hill. “Well, I’m not going to die” is the mantra.
Accepting the discomfort gets easier. Once you learn you aren’t Elphaba, running in the rain is fun. Going slow on a hot summer day, toasting in the sun, and finishing with a cold shower? Almost as good as a solid fuck. It broadens your experiences of the world.
Dealing with the discomfort spills over in the daily life. It’s adjusted my yardstick for what sucks. That car cutting you off—or around here the G-Wagon passing you on a double yellow—is still annoying but not day ruining. Breaking out the chainsaw because of downed tree becomes that hill between you and the end, just a thing to be done, not fretted over. Sooner you do it, the sooner it’s done. Like this.
(Notes:
- Good judgement is your friend. I’m Major Buzzkill, but no running on ice, in lightening storms, hurricanes, or tornadoes
- Next week’s will be on 7/5 because of fun weekend plans and Independence Day. Go blow some shit up, ‘Murica! )
Interesting Things This Week
John Andersen’s Insta post from WSER ‘22
Courtney Dauwalter CRUSHED the course record as Western States
Weekly Summary
Goal: 54 miles, 6000’
Actual: 54 miles, 8200’
Disappointing week. Painful week. By the end, PF was under control and not causing much issue. Summer set on hard. Mother Nature decided to be cruel, flipping from cool and dry to hot and a dew point of 70˚. Most days I felt wasted by the end. It won’t be too bad in a few weeks, but heat adjustment takes time. I neglected to take a proper rest day. Bone headed.
Weekly Log
Mo: 5.2
Slow and easy trip down Dearing. PF is on the wane. Bit warm and sunny. A nice preview of summer.
Tu: 8.5
Hot and steamy! Must’ve seen a red eft every fifteen yards. PF acted up on the last mile. Finished and soaked to the bone from the humidity. Wasn’t terribly hot, but the air was just fucking soaked.
We: 10.3
Tempo interval down Fodderstack and around the Inn. First day of summer, and it was a glorious… 65˚ and drizzling? Refreshing change from yesterday. PF didn’t act up but some tightness in the upper calf. Legs felt good overall.
Th: 0
Technically a rest day, but… I snuck some gym time in. It was supposed to happen Wednesday evening, but Char finished early at work. Gym vs an early night home? Early night always wins.
Fr: 5.4
Boring ass miles at the North Fauquier park. Sooo flat. Sooo nothing but pavement. Legs were tired. Probably should’ve taken Thursday as an actual rest.
Sa: 7.6
Summer finally arrived. Did a loop of the old reliable Old Hollow. Threw some excruciating intervals in. It was needed, but damn, the humidity took it’s toll.
Su: 17
Let’s pretend Sunday never happened. Hot. Humid. Legs were fried by the last five. No serious issues, just tired. Hydration went well. Experimented with mixing the DIY Juice from vacuum bags. Ran into a few other runners, most out for heat training. But it as a sufferfest.