Week Two - Day Four, Saturday, July 27th

Author's Note: This dispatch from the front line is a couple days late because, frankly, sleep was more important before two night shifts in a row.

The second "long run" of the program, six mile jaunt, and it got started an hour later than I wanted. My intent was to get outside to run after the firehouse as soon as possible after my shift, before the temperature and humidity really started to climb. Unfortunately, my relief was almost an hour late, and then he had to be brought up to speed on what was required during the day. So 0645 turned into 0800.

When I finally did get out, I took a liter of water with me to drink, figuring with the rapidly-increasing humidity that water might be a good idea...and it was, except for the fact that carrying it loose in your hand is never as smooth as you'd think. Another firefighter-marathoner (they're all over the place!) I work with has graciously lent me a couple of his belts that he used, those specialty-kind that is designed to carry small containers of water as well as a couple of energy bars and the like. I'll be testing those in the next couple of weeks.

As with last week's long run, I built some breaks into it, but even those breaks became longer as the run went on. I'd like to run consistently without stopping, but it seems to be taking me awhile to get there on these longer runs. But then, as some of my more experienced colleagues have said, this humidity is brutal, and getting past it will make me a better runner. I hope.

After I finished the run, I took a moment to realize why I really hate the sound of the Dog-day Cicada , which is that annoying buzz you hear on hot days. That sound to me represents feeling plenty hot and tired.

My Herculean (so far) Effort