Happy Heat Wave

As the whole world knows the Midwest has been engulfed by an unusually horrendous heat /humidity wave for about a week now. As a runner, this is always a challenge. Well dumb me, who totally knows better, ran last Sun 7/17/11, when according to the local meteorologist, Minnesota was had a heat index the SAME as the Amazon jungle!! Altho I knew it was hot and humid, I didn't get myself out the door until 10am-bad choice! I work 6.5 days a week, and so Sunday is my only full day off,well you get the picture. Sunday is also the only possible day that I can work in a long run. So as I was working my mileage back up after being injured, I was determined to suck it up and pound out a few extra miles. To top it off I am very fair skinned,so the sun is also an issue.
Because I was so excited to run again,after a short day before, I wore my VFFs and chose a gravel road run that is somewhat shady . I wasn't expecting to break a speed record,mind you, but I was hoping for a decent pace. It was so humid it was hard to breathe and no breeze.
The first 3 miles were great and gorgeous as I ran down into a into a woods and past a small lake, enjoying the pelicans along the way. As I ran out of the woods up into the farm field area,it was slightly hotter. I was ok-I can do this-no  big deal.After all I am a Minnesotan (actually an Illinois transplant).
As any Minnesotan will tell you, we are accustomed to accepting all weather as a  challenge.I run all year-all through the winter...many blogs for many another day.I will just add though,that I do not own a treadmill and run in -10-15 below 0 and who knows what wind chills, and run in sheet metal screws through the ice and feet of snow....like I said food for other blogs.
So back to the heat. I can do this. Just relax and take it slow. I was well hydrated and only planning on about 8 miles. No big deal. As I progressed uphill and rounded the curve at about mile 3 I noticed I was slowing down. It was hot and blazing sun. I saw the marker for about mile 3.5 and thought, ok I will turn around there and do 7. After turning around, I am on my way back-yea!! Psychologically that was a triumph in itself. Ok slowing now, 5mile and coming back now  downhill and into the shade!!! SHADE....like a long tall cold drink of water...Right next to the lake ( a wildlife lake,not sparkly clean on a hot day...in a marsh...) and the thought crossed my mind..I could actually drink that water...NO ICK.. like I said not sparkly clean. It occurred to me that if I was thinking of drinking mirky water, I was probably getting close to being overheated. Here I was 2
miles from home in the SHADE ,and what did I do ??? I STOPPED!!!!!!!! Now you have to realize in  30 YEARS yes count them -I am old(54)-in 30 years,in ALL weather,ALL terrain, I have NEVER stopped in the middle of a run before!! NEVER!!! Not even when I have gotten injured! NEVER,not one time!!!
I stopped in the shade,walked in a few circles, and then started running again..slowly... about 1/2 mile later I stopped AGAIN!! I actually blame this all on the Smiley Collective...because I suddenly realized...hey running smiley means it's ok to stop!!! WOW !What a revelation! As I pondered this, I decided to walk briskly-hey-this will work-walk 1/2 mile, run 1/2 mile...so that was the last 2 miles of my heat run. And guess what ??? IT WAS OK!!! I was still smiling!!
  Plunging my feet into the lake after returning home, and letting my body recover from the heat, I felt like running smiley was taking over my life!! Sounds dumb ,yes... but it has overflowed into all of my daily activities!! Running smiley was definately restructuring my runs.
Now it is Wednesday.It is still extremely,abnormally hot and humid. Although I have AC at work, we do not have AC at home. We live in the woods, on a lake, and normally it is comfortable. But this week has been extreme. Sleeping has been rough.
Monday, ran at 7am 5.3 miles -very hot and humid-but last mile barefoot!! Tuesday ran at 7am same and today Wednesday  a breeze yea!!, I ran 2.5 m and ran 2 miles barefoot (on chip and seal road).. I felt fantastic!!! I even was slightly faster today...slightly...my barefootin WAS faster!!I am so excited!! I can run smiley and barefoot in the heat!!
Proof positive that running smiley breaks barriers.....and stopping to smile is ok :))

pps/ Do not run in heat if you are not an experienced,seasoned runner and stay very well hydrated.