Running In The Heat

That may not sound like something most people would get over concerned with but most people don’t have to put up with the Columbia SC tortures of heat and humidity. I really like where I live for most of the year but Columbia is well known for being an unfriendly environment That is especially true for a few months in the summer season. I remembered that again as I went out for an 8 miler and made the mistake once again, (sigh) to drag around the house and let 10:00 am arrive before I headed out. I know that none of you have ever made that mistake. Anyway, I was about a ½ mile out when it occurred to me my pace was really slow. Yes, I know some of you think my pace is slow when I am in top form and running all out but that is for another blog time. I was at first a little anxious but then remembered that it was warm and humid. It was Columbia. I was not supposed to be attempting to set a new training run PR. Why not just enjoy the run and be thankful that the last injury had finally healed and the pavement was flowing smoothly before me. As runners we sometimes forget to just chill and enjoy the gift of running. Even though I had made the mistake of getting out late, I was out. Fortunately, I had remembered before the first mile marker that you have to run smart even when it is just a simple run. I was actually proud of myself for not allowing 4 or 5 miles to get past me and then remember the heat, humidity and the reason I was out there on the road to start with. It was all good.

   I passed a neighbor of mine at mile one and noticed he was hoeing in his garden. This was particularly strange because this man has some age on him and he usually is not seen after the early morning hours out puttering in his yard or garden. It appeared he had made the same mistake as me. He started late and was paying the price under the high sun. Or was he? It occurred to me as I passed by with a hand wave that his movements with the hoe while determined to accomplish his task, were slow and smooth. No violent hacking with the head of the hoe but just easy, low, steady strokes. I also notice he had his wide brim hat to protect his head from the sun. He was minding his pace in reference to the heat. I do not think I have ever thought about gardening and running at the same time before but today there seem to be a parallel. Both activities required some forethought and planning. Both activities could be dangerous if the good ole Columbia heat was not respected. Both were being enjoyed by the participants. Both had specific goals to accomplish.

 I started to think about other things in our lives and how we allow pressure from work or friends to push us to our limits. I realized that we sometimes allow junk to be pushed upon us without even vaguely thinking through the consequences that we may have to deal with later on and just to please someone else or their agenda. So what does this have to do with running? Life is like running in the heat sometimes. You head out late on a hot morning, you don’t have enough fluids with you, you don’t think about keeping the dangers of the heat in front of your thinking and boom! You start to see spots, you become dizzy, your head starts to ache and it occurs to you that you are now in trouble. Why? You didn’t plan, you didn’t think before starting and you just wanted to complete the task or mileage before you.

 I have a mantra that I have been using for several years now. Run to run another day. That means that when I do make mistakes and realize that my body is in trouble due to the heat, I pull up and find some shade, find some fluids and remember this is not my last run. I really do want to run again. We should treat life that way. We should plan and think about what we are doing each day. We should ask ourselves how much of life are we missing because we allow the world to tell us who we are and how much we are worth. Do you feel like you are running through life in the heat? Do you see spots or feel the pain of attempting to just push through life’s junk? Is it time to remember tomorrow is another day? Is it time to pull over in the shade of life for a while? You may want to find that wide brim hat and slow down a little with that hoe.