Confessions of an Amateur Athlete

It was a HOT 20 Miler this weekend!!! *HOT* doesn't even describe it!  I started at 6:30am but it was already into the high 80's at that point.  And by the time I ended, it was skyrocketing past 100+.  I felt like Johnny Storm from Fantastic Four, just minus the speed! (yes, I'm a comic book geek) I took the pup out for the first few miles just so she could get some exercise in before the triple digits hit.  Even SHE was getting too hot already, and the sun wasn't even blaring YET! Nevertheless, it was slow, it was hot, but I got it done! A lot of people ask me how I survive training Arizona's relentless summer temps.  You can check out some of my tips here:  Surviving the Hellish Heat  saltsticks.com But for the most part, I made sure I had extra water, and ran a route where I could fill up at fountains when I needed.  Also, I had my hat doused in cold water, and salt sticks to keep my electrolytes up. ...

ion-taylor-photography/flikr The temps are already picking up here in the desert!  So it's time to discuss my tricks to surviving the Arizona heat!  I say "surviving" the hellish heat because in Phoenix, we don't BEAT the heat... there's no beating 117+ digits.  Instead, we have to come up with ways to get in our long runs while not being burnt to a crisp in sweltering sun! Yes, it is a "dry heat", but so is an oven .  However, you'd be surprised what your body can get used to.  These days, I've acclimated so much that I'd prefer to go run in 90+ degrees then attempt a run in anything below 30. LOL. So how do I stay alive in the desert?  Here are the tricks I use during my summer training: Stay Hydrated This, of course, is the most important.  I always take EXTRA water with me.  I might normally only need a small handheld bottle for a quick tempo run, but during the summer I'll take a fuel belt to be safe.  My philos...