Friday Ramble 07/29/22

This week: Thoughts on heat exposure, hydration, and knowing when to say when. Plus, praise for the Swiss ball, and a quick garden salad with crunch. 

Our region has been engulfed in a vicious heat wave over the last few weeks, which has played havoc with my training. Not only have my runs been slower, I was even forced to cut a pair of runs short out of concern for my well being. 

In both instances, I was performing tempo workouts, meaning I was running harder than normal. And in both cases, I felt like continuing to run that hard would have been detrimental to my health.

Neither decision was particularly difficult because the warning signs were obvious: elevated heart rate, unsustainable pacing, a feeling that something bad might happen if I continued. I mean, duh. 

Of course, that level of self restraint runs counter to the most basic idea we’ve been taught from the time we started participating in athletics. When the going gets tough, by God, we get tougher. Don’t give in. Never quit, etc., etc. 

To be sure, many of us identify with that run-through-a-brick-wall philosophy. I’m willing to bet every single runner reading this has persevered through adverse conditions. I would further suggest all us have derived a bit of masochistic satisfaction from the experience, if not full-blown transcendence. 

Still, you have to admit, “giving it all ‘till you drop” is a pretty dumb way to approach these situations. Exercise-related heat stress is a real thing with real consequences, and that’s at the low end of potential problems. 

When choosing to run in extreme conditions, it’s incumbent on you as a runner to understand the warning signs, monitor them carefully, and make smart decisions. No one else is going to stop you, so you better be prepared to stop yourself. 

And speaking of preparation: What’s your hydration plan?