First Week Of 10k Training

Subtitle: Oh, No, Not Another Running Post! because I know that's what you're thinking. Sorry. Other than this, there's not a whole lot going on in my life right now. 

I started off the week with a 45 minute timed run. It went badly. Very badly. I waited too long that morning to get started, and by the time I did it was nearly 80 degrees and the sun was high overhead. About 30 minutes in, I came down with chills. I had goosebumps all over my arms and legs, too. I pushed through—not terribly successfully, since I had to stop and walk about four times—but I pushed through for a total of 3.5 miles. 

Bounced right through my three weekday runs, because we went at 6 pm or later. Even if it's still hot, the sun isn't beating down on my head, which, apparently, is the problem. 

Then came Saturday, and I did it again. A 4 mi run at four in the afternoon. Once again, chills and goosebumps, even though my face looked and felt like an infrared bulb. I drank all the water in my hydration belt, stopped several times...nothing helped. So I kept telling myself it was all in my head, and I was never going to successfully run a 10k if I kept letting my brain tell my body what it could and couldn't do. 

Weeeeellll...apparently I shouldn't have. Thankfully, I found this out the easy way (Google) instead of the hard way (collapse) but chills and goosebumps are actually a sign of dehydration and imminent heat exhaustion. So, if you should ever experience this, stop running immediately, find shade, and rehydrate. Do not attempt to push through. Ahem. 

Now, of course, I have to figure out how the hell to run in direct sunlight. Because I don't know if you've noticed, but the sun? It comes up every day. And it stays up for, like, twelve to sixteen hours. Problematic. I don't know what to do. Salt tabs? Add Gatorade to my pre-run hydrate? At least I have eleven weeks to figure it out. Suggestions are welcome and appreciated!

On a positive note, I am incredibly grateful for whatever genetic quirk allows me to be this pale (like, just-buy-the-lightest-shade-of-makeup-without-even-trying-it-on pale) and still tan so incredibly well. Forgot my sunscreen, and yet, after almost an hour in the sun, I'm a relatively benign light golden-brown.

Total miles: 15.5. 

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