Suck It Up

Sunday’s Run (8/01/10)

Folks, the hottest month of the year has arrived.  It is now August in the Lone Star State.  Well, technically I suppose it’s August everywhere, but here in Texas, I am bracing myself for 31 days of brutal heat.  It’s going to be a hot, sweaty month.

For that reason, I feel like this month may be one of the hardest for my half-marathon training.  The runs this month are not going to be very long—30 minutes at most if I feel like bumping things up from 20 to 30 before the end of the month—but most of them will be on the treadmill.  I’m trying to be enthusiastic about the t-mill, but it’s not easy.  Today, however, was a great work-out day.

I caught myself watching Kid in a Candy Store again(!) while doing my 20-minute treadmill run.  It must be my Sunday schedule: I love doing my treadmill runs in the late afternoon between 3 and 4 PM.  At any rate, today I was treated to visions of high-tech ice cream, decadent chocolate confections, dreamy soda fountain drinks, and the spiciest ice cream known to woman or man.  It’s funny: I like the show not because I start drooling over the sweets but because I love the creative genius behind all the goodies featured on the show.  My homemade desserts are usually very simple, and they make me happy.  But an ice cream made with the hottest hot sauces and fresh peppers known to exist?  That’s insane, man!  I would never eat it (I might try it, if dared), but I’m still impressed.

The foodie entertainment made my run go by very quickly: 20 minutes nonstop, 9:05 mile pace, with a walking warm-up and cool-down.  My abdomen started to cramp up toward the end, but I just sucked in my belly and kept running.  That usually does the trick for me.

After my sweaty, sweaty run, I rinsed off in the shower, dressed, and ate a snack of granola and fresh blueberries in 2% milk.  Oh, and a big glass of icy cold water.  That hit the spot!  I feel great.