NO WIMPS, or how to beat the heat

Tonight's buddy run at Heather Farms was a challenge! It was still in the 90-degree range (according to my car's thermometer) at 6:30pm. Yowsers! The ice I had put in my water bottle before leaving the house was already melted when I met up with the team. But Team In Training has a motto: NO WIMPS!

I was impressed with everyone who showed up to run -- there were 20 of us. No one melted down, and everyone had a good attitude about being out there in the heat. I ran for 40 minutes -- an even split of 20 minutes each way. My water was gone before the end of the run. The fact that it was lukewarm didn't stop me in the slightest from chugging it down.

I haven't had a consistent running buddy or group of buddies yet this season. At first it was strange since I was used to my core group of gals from the spring team (who I miss, dearly, and am seeing for dinner next week -- Yahoo!). But it's actually been fun running with different people. I've logged miles with Julie, who's doing extra weekly distance so she can run the Nike full marathon in mid-October. I've also run with Kelsie, a friend of Andrea's (who was on my team last season and is now a mentor), and "Coach" Gary, who's actually just a participant this fall -- it's his 10th year doing TNT!

Tonight I ran most of the way with Kyle. He's a Michiganite who moved to the Bay Area about a year ago with his longtime sweetheart, Clara. Clara's actually the one that got him and their friends, Sara and Don (also a couple from Michigan), to join TNT. The four of them are lots of fun; they seem to have really taken to the Bay Area.

After my run, I headed straight to my in-laws to see Shannon (my sister-in-law) and the boys. They flew in today for Labor Day weekend. Those boys have more energy than they know what to do with! Course, after being couped up on a plane all day, I might, too! If I could just harness that energy and use it during my races, I'd be set!