Heat!

Tried to post this on Sunday but lost the internet connection:

This morning I went out for a run. Got all dressed in my new running clothes and was excited to head out onto the flat streets of suburban Houston. I was NOT prepared for the wall of humidity and heat that hit me as I opened the front door. Mind you, it was only 6:30am! Wow.

The run went fairly well, trying to focus on keeping loose. Until I made the fateful decision to head into the neighborhood's "nature walk". As I turned in, I said to myself, "how bad can it be?" Argh. Wrong question.

I ran through a few spider web strands (not full webs, thankfully) and past a startled lizard. I gave a prayer of thanks for the lush green lawns I'd see earlier, the fat foxtail ferns, the lilies of the Nile, day lilies, placid calico cat watching me. And then I noticed something biting me on my calf. Gave it a whack and I think it called out the brigades.

Horse flies, perhaps? I don't know. Big black flies and lots of them. They were chasing me. The podcast said it was time for the walk segment, but after a moment of walking, I realized the black flies were supported by a contingent of other flying insects, all trying to land on me.

My walk segment turned into a dash, a zip, a sprint, nay... a panicked escape. Swatting, gasping, totally going on fear. My first thought - please God get me out of here - was replaced by single gasps of breath... "Please" .... "God".....

All sense of calm, breathing, relaxing - totally gone. Those darn bugs stayed with me until I was across the street from the "nature walk" area. By then Mr. Running Podcast said it was time for my next 10 minute run. Ha. Ha. Very funny. No way. I had to walk to catch my breath again.

Ran some of that last segment, walked to cool down, and stretched out. What's funny is how much I was looking forward to running in Houston where it's warm and flat. It's time to rethink those hills back in Massachusetts.