RELAX! I know those aren't the lyrics!
All I can say is that I am amazed that we not only survived our originally-scheduled 5+ mile run/walk to the Roosevelt Island lighthouse and back in the oppressive NYC heatwave, but we upped the ante! When we got to the lighthouse someone who shall remain nameless, for reasons totally beyond comprehension (including her own) asked the rest of the run/walk group if they wanted to try doing the rest of the way around the island. For reasons equally beyond comprehension, they agreed. So, we did, for a total of somewhere between 7.2 and 8.2 miles, depending on which gadget was doing the tracking.
Given both the record temperatures and the totally suckazoidal air quality, I opted to skip the "run" part of "run/walk" yesterday, and focus instead on race walking it. Very. Wise. Decision. It not only kept me from being totally miserable to be around in the heat, it also helped shift my mental focus. I've been struggling a bit with run/walking in the hot weather, not so much in terms of my legs or feet, but in terms of my breathing. It's also become a bit of a mental struggle, since I don't feel I'm doing as well as I "should" be doing. Focusing on race walking yesterday helped remind me that I'm a very good, strong, fast walker. It felt really good to be able to put in the extra mileage and still feel reasonably human while doing it. Yes, there were some torturously hot stretches (I've re-named Vernon Blvd to BURNIN' Blvd), but there were also several people out there with garden hoses who were very willing to hose us down upon request. The added bonus is that now we know where the sprinklers are on Roosevelt Island!
We also had a chance to see some interesting and cool stuff, like these three pieces:
Overall, it went much better than I had imagined it while I was getting ready the night before! I'm also really glad I brought some non-sweaty clothes to change into afterwards!
