Hey, stupid: It's hot outside

I was having a bunch of great runs and then, the last few weeks, I've really struggled.

 

Last Saturday, a 12-miler, and maintaining an 8:30 pace was God awful. I've been running with a new group and they do a lot of drills first then they run, and I've just felt awful the whole time. No springyness in my legs. No fight in my lungs. No willpower in my brain.

 

This morning, a 7-miler that I've run over and over and over again around Town Lake started ok, then progressively got worse.

 

During this period of bad runs, I've tried everything. Drink more water at work. check. Drink less wine at night. (Not happening). Sleep more. Check.

 

The one thing I have not done, make that two things, is take in more electrolytes during the day (like Nuun) and take a daily vitamin with iron.

 

I sweat so much during these runs that you could wring me out and fill a small pond.  During the winter and early spring, when its cool and brisk, I fly around and feel like I can run for days.

 

But when the calendar turns to May and June, I get sluggish and forget why: ITS HOT STUPID.

 

Now I remember.

 

I went through this problem two summers ago and started taking a multivitamin with iron and taking in more electrolytes and things worked out ok. Seems like I need to get back to my base of what works and what doesnt because this is getting ridiculous. I know its hot, but when I wanna quit running just three miles into a little 7-miler, something is wrong. And I think I know how to fix it.

 

Gotta get that fixed before Chicago Marathon training starts in two weeks.