Back in December, I wrote about 9 inevitable moments that happen during a winter run in Chicago, so, after doing my first 80-degree run this week, I thought I’d do the same thing.
On Tuesday, when temperatures were high and wind gusts were even higher, I slipped on my running shoes and braved the conditions. It only took a few moments for me to start having flashbacks to all other summer runs in the past, and the moments that never fail to occur when you first get back into running in humidity.
1. You get excited to break out all of your summer running clothes.
2. Then you realize how ghostly you look, and the sun makes your skin glow even more.
3. After the first few steps, you get halted by humidity, and have to remember how to breathe in this stuff.
4. Sweat forms much earlier on, and even starts dripping in places that it hasn’t in months.
5. Cotton mouth. Enough said.
6. To prepare for the heat, you hydrated more than normal. More water consumed means more water coming out. You’ve ran this route dozens of times, but don’t know where the nearest bathroom is… yikes.
7. The scarcity of shade is much more noticeable.
8. Once the run is over, water has never tasted SO GOOD.
9. You barely recognize the tomato face in the mirror, and those random tan lines!
10. But a cold shower has never felt so good; after rejuvenating, you think “that wasn’t so bad,” and start hydrating to go back out tomorrow. Glad to have you back, summer.
Stay cool and safe this summer, runners!
