I'm talking 90 degrees by 10:30 in the morning. No doubt it is that time of year again ~ "that time of year" lasts about 9 months ~ when I can easily talk myself out of any and all outside cardio if I don't get motivated before 8 a.m.
It is that hot. Too hot. Hot enough to consume 8 oz of water within 15 minutes. Hot enough to feel my scorching skin through what's left of the dripping sunscreen I generously applied only minutes earlier. Hot enough to melt nail enamel off a French manicure applied the day before.
I hope you get the picture.
If you do, you should also know that I don't mind the sweat that comes from working out. More sweat means more weight loss, more cleansing of toxins, and more feeling of accomplishment, like I pushed myself to my limit. I didn't waste my time and I know that tomorrow I am going to hurt like hell.
I have been told by a certain guy friend that it's sexy. Though, without the smell. At first blush, I felt flattered. Even then, I think that's a leap. The greased up models sporting string bikinis on the cover of Sports Illustrated, with their wet hair, wet muscles, and, well, string bikinis, are sexy. But, they are right out of the shower, and sprayed with some beautifully scented oil. No exertion involved with that. They probably get a massage afterward, or before, or both. They are fawned over by all around them. Their faces don't look like a blotchy overcooked tomato.
Lucky them.
The co-eds in the wet t-shirt contests and even, I daresay, female mud wrestlers exude a feel of sexiness in their wet look. OK, now that I think about it, there might be a few other instances (beyond the scope of my blog) where sweat can be sexy.
All I know is I don't find it sexy, probably because I don't feel sexy when I am sweaty after a workout. Then again, "sexy" is not my goal. Nice to know, I guess, that it is a by-product for some folks. Good for them.
Exercising in extreme heat requires more advance preparation. I have to pay particular attention to hydration; 24/7, not just before my exercise. And, past that, I have to start wearing a fuel belt to replenish the extra fluids I lose in extreme heat that I don't need to worry about the rest of the year.
The extreme heat also wears me out faster. Three miles in 90 degrees feels like 10 miles at 70. It gets harder to breath as my heart pumps faster to keep my organs and the rest of my body cool. As the oxygenated blood flows to my heart, its abscence from my limbs makes them sluggish. It also messes with my will power to endure. My main goal, particularly if I am running, becomes to get to the next shady patch instead of pacing myself to get through the next mile. Maintaining my zone becomes a battle with controlled chaos in my head. Kind of defeats one of my main purposes for daily exercise.
It is so early in the season that I haven't re-trained myself yet to get my exercise in early. I am still in winter mode, what winter mode we have here. In winter, I can wait until noon or later to work out. My only limitation is the setting of the sun, which comes at around 4 p.m. instead of 7. Aside from that, I can take my time.
Not anymore. Today was no exception. When I did get out there, I was sorry I had waited so long. I could have been out there at 8:30. It would have been a little cooler. Just a little. The upside was even with the heat, the sweat on my skin made for the feeling of a cool breeze as I broke away from the stoplights. This feeling didn't last long but it gave me something to look forward to, to push for.
I do have a secret carrot that keeps me going once I do get started. If you could look inside my head during the last quarter of any workout, you could see the image of it dangling from a string in front of my eyes. What is it?
My favorite part of my extreme heat workout is a jump in the pool afterward. Total and instant immersion into cool water; instant metamorphosis from hot and sweaty to cool and cleansed. The wet quotient, however, remains the same.
that's my plan too
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