News.

It has been forever since I posted.  There is good news, and there is bad news.  Right now, it would be nice just to make sense of it.

Today felt like an all-time low, physically and mentally, in running for me.   The past couple of summers, I was very strong in the heat and did fantastic.  I don't remember heat acclimation EVER being this difficult with me, and I'm not doing anything different than I have in the past.

It seems like for the last week, any time I go out, I can run for about 1.5-2 miles before I just have to stop and walk some...and end up spending the rest of the workout just doing intervals, except my intervals are more like 1-1, or 2-1, instead of 4-1 like they should be.  I haven't even tried to go more than 4 miles, and I usually think if I'm running less than 6 miles, I shouldn't bother unless it's a tempo run or speed workout.  Anyhow - running has been MISERABLE.  The ability and the will to keep going simply is not there.  It's just so ridiculously hot.  What I used to love to run in, I now completely hate and despise because it makes me feel so utterly like hell and seems to suck the life out of me, rather than put it back in.  It's hard to believe I ran so much, and so well, in this before.

I know that it takes time to heat acclimate again, and god knows I was super acclimated in summers past.  (like going out with a 113 degree heat index and feeling great on a 6 miler).   Right now I am really frustrated.  I have even considered shelving my running shoes until late fall.

The reason I have been doing these runs in the hottest part of the day is to make myself get used to the heat, and that always worked like a charm in the past.   For some unknown reason, it is just not working this time around.

A couple of my friends have said they are also having a hard time with the heat, too, and said they can't run squat in it..  That eased my frustration with myself some.  It's early in the summer.  (okay it's not even summer yet)  It's insanely hot, and I guess I need to remind myself that it will get better, even though right now it feels like it will only lead to death.

The last *great* run I had was my last long run that I did early in the morning.  I think i am going to move back to morning running, as much as I freaking hate to run in the morning.  At least I *can* run then, and it feels like I'm getting a workout, instead of merely trying to survive the blistering heat.

The nutritional changes I made have worked wonders, when I have stuck to my guns, which I mostly have.  I did let some sugar work back in for about 1 week, and I noticed it had an immediate effect.  I haven't been on a scale in ages, but from measurements and appearance, I'd say I easily dropped 15-20lbs.  I have more to go, and if I can just get my f'ing body to cooperate with running, I'll have the rest off in no time.

Oh, precious heat mojo, how I want you back.   We have a lot of summer ahead of us, and running has been so completely awful that I have seriously considered stopping.  I do not like to have those thoughts.