Lately, Detroit is only slightly cooler than the surface of the sun

Remind me of this when I'm complaining about sub-zero temps in February.

It's been a challenging couple of days, run-wise. It got really hot, really fast and while I like to think I'm pretty well acclimated to the heat by this time, "feels like 96" with high humidity and dew point sure do challenge that. (I know 84 isn't bad, but it's the humidity and a 73 degree dew point that's killer.)

Yesterday was the second speed run in as many weeks that became a "just jog it in" run after a few miles. I actually managed to pretty much descend the first four, but when you feel like you want to die and you're not even pulling a sub-9 pace, it's time to dial it back. By then it was feeling like high 90s and I was getting lots of strange looks from drivers and even cyclists passing by. Afterward, I sat in the car with the a/c blasting full on my face for at least five minutes... and was still dripping sweat.

After a shower I analyzed the weather for the weekend and saw that a heat advisory was supposed to kick into place today at noon. So I could head out to the park for my usual swim-bike-run brick and dodge the millions of people probably heading to the beaches, or I could sneak my long run in first thing in the morning, sit on my butt for the rest of the day in the a/c, and do my s-b-r on Sunday when it was supposed to be hot but not quite as hot.

So, I planned on an "early" run today to get it over with. I even got to bed at a decent hour. But things never go as planned: First I "needed" an extra 15 minutes of sleep, then I put on an extra layer of sunscreen to be safe, then my lab mix absolutely would not poop for me. I put the dogs in the bedroom so they would stay out of trouble, and then they started CRYING for breakfast, waking up my husband, so I had to take care of that. Sheesh! These spoiled mutts used to be street dogs.

FINALLY, I headed out the door just after 8. I was about 2 hours too late. I had my frozen bottle of Gatorade, but it didn't stay frozen for long. I decided to plod a few laps around my neighborhood, just in case I did get sick and needed to beeline home. I found a shady spot every 2 miles to drink and reassess my body -- Am I really OK? Do I have any symptoms of heat exhaustion? -- and while I was hot and unhappy, I felt physically fine otherwise.

I almost headed home every mile starting at mile 8, my shoulder devil telling me that it was "close enough," and found a water fountain to refill my bottle about then, too. My clothes were completely soaked. Even my shoes were squishing. But... I chugged on. I wasn't setting any records, but I did my 12 miles, heat advisory be darned.

I am going to make good on my promise for the rest of the day of sitting on my butt in the a/c. I might find a pool to lounge by later -- we'll see how ambitious I get. And hopefully training won't be quite as miserable tomorrow.