Brian’s fitness journal after a brain stroke
This morning began with a small mistake. In my enthusiasm to get out the door, I completely forgot to put on my running headband. It wasn’t a disaster, but sweat kept trying to find its way into my eyes. A headband is one of those things you hardly notice, well, until you forget it.
The good news was that the weather more than made up for my oversight. After the intense heat around Independence Day, temperatures finally dropped. The heat wave wasn’t limited to the South, either. My wife mentioned that one of her colleagues in New York had been dealing with similarly extreme temperatures. For me, the cooler weather felt like a gift.
I don’t take holidays off from running, so I still completed my regular 10-kilometer run on the Fourth of July. Unfortunately, I ran in oppressive heat and humidity. Every kilometer felt like a negotiation with the weather, and it was one of the most difficult runs I had experienced in quite some time.
Today’s conditions were completely different. The cooler air made running noticeably more comfortable, and my pace improved immediately. I still didn’t reach my target pace, but I was faster than in every run I completed during last week’s heat wave. That counts as progress.
Weather affects every runner, but it hits me even harder because of my medical history.
Several years ago, I experienced a hemorrhagic stroke affecting my cerebellum. Since then, my body has struggled to regulate temperature as effectively as it once did. Hot, humid conditions are much more physically demanding for me than they used to be, so dramatic weather changes can significantly affect how I perform.
Knowing that helps me keep my expectations realistic. Some days, I am competing against the stopwatch. Other days, I am competing against the weather. The important thing is recognizing the difference.
Today’s run reminded me that last week’s slower times were not necessarily a sign that I was losing fitness. Sometimes your environment limits what your body can do, and the wisest response isn’t frustration but patience.
The cooler morning proved that the work I have been putting in is still paying off. I wasn’t as fast as I ultimately want to be. But I was faster than I was last week. And sometimes, that is exactly the evidence you need to know you are moving in the right direction. Tomorrow will bring another opportunity.
I’ll just try to remember one important piece of equipment before I leave the house.
The headband.