Summer has arrived in Texas, full force. The temps this week have teetered in the 90's and the humidity is right up there. It's been face melting humidity. Now, I am not complaining. I hate the cold, I love the heat. However, I love to run and I am a mid day runner. I've worked nightshift for years so waking up at the crack of dawn on my days off, well, it aint happening. I've tried, repeatedly. I have gotten good at waking up before the alarm clock, at least long enough to turn the alarm clock off! Mid day running means treadmill. While I am not opposed to running on the machine, I miss the outdoor runs I enjoy in the cooler months. And so I continue to set my alarm clock and hope.
I managed to drag my butt out of bed this morning when hubby brought me a cup of coffee and gently reminded me that I instructed him to wake me up before he left. I drank my coffee. checked the weather, and decided at 0830 I could manage the 82degrees. I headed out for a 30 minute run. It was hot. Very hot, but I kept going. Instead of doing a turn about at the mile mark, I decided to run the overpass knowing this was going to add another mile to my run. All is good. The bridge felt good, I made the U turn and headed home. Three quarters of a mile from home I noticed the skin on my arms were dry, my face was dry, the back of my neck was dry, the skin on my stomach was dry. I changed to a walk. Heat stroke? Heat Exhaustion? I can't ever remember which one is worse but I'm an ER nurse, I know this is probably not a good thing. I, the nurse noticed I, the stupid runner, wasn't confused, or was I too confused to know I was confused. Today is, oh hell, I work nights, I never know what day it is. The President is Richard Nixon, just kidding runner self said, I was testing your humor. I'm not amused, caring nurse said. I noted that I didn't have a headache. Oh my god, whats that pain creeping into my head. Oh shut up, you're talking yourself into it. Okay. Lets not panic. Gait steady. I know there is always a cop sitting at the fire house, it's just the next block, and I'll ask for a ride home. Oh jeeze, no cop today. Only a quarter of a mile to go, I can do this. So the running path is not next to the road, if I collapse, will the oncoming traffic see me and call for help? Should I cross the road? No, it doesn't matter. Step by step, I walked, closer to the house. A breeze picked up and helped cool me. I finally made it, I sucked down a gatorade, washed the gritty dried salt from my face, and played a game of candy crush. I survived, I'm alive, I decided morning runs just aren't my thing and I'll stick to evenings and mid day treadmill.
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