How I Beat the Humidity Boss and Logged My Second Fastest 10K

Written June 7, 2025

Hello Dear Readers,

This morning, I woke up feeling like a well-charged phone—ready to take on my first 10K of June. That enthusiasm lasted about thirty seconds… until my wife, aka the Morning Oracle, gave me a weather update: “It’s humid. Very humid.”

She’s always up at 5 a.m., doing her workout before the Nashville air turns into soup. I try to follow her lead, minus the pre-dawn drama—I have a bit more wiggle room in my schedule. (Perks of being flexible. Or at least pretending to be.)

But wow. Stepping outside felt like walking straight into a sauna hosted by the sun and a wet sponge. My wife, who once lived in Canada, still can’t get over Tennessee summers. She expected dry, crisp warmth—not a full-on oven door to the face every morning. Yet oddly enough, she loves living in Nashville. Go figure. Apparently, greenery and ultra-friendly neighbors make up for atmospheric soup.

And she’s not wrong. The people here are wonderfully nice. We’ve met most of them while running. Seriously—if you jog in our neighborhood, you’re basically signing up for a rotating social club on sneakers. Everyone’s out walking, running, or flexing their lawn-care game. It’s a charming vibe.

Despite the swampy conditions, I hit the pavement anyway. I’ve learned not to negotiate with my feelings in the morning. Motivation is a fair-weather friend—I prefer routines that don’t ask for permission. My wife says the same: “If I waited to feel like it, I’d never get anything done.” High-five to the discipline duo.

By the halfway point, I was just a second behind my target pace. But by the end? I actually clocked in two seconds faster. Take that, humidity boss! This run earned me my second fastest 10K ever, which, considering the weather, feels like unlocking a hidden achievement in a fitness video game.

The week overall? Not too shabby. I’ve been consistent with my workouts, though my upper body still feels the aftershocks of pushups and bicep curls. Sure, I’ll never win a protein shake endorsement deal (thank you, kidney-friendly diet), but I’m definitely stronger and happier than I was a few months ago.

So yes, today’s run may have felt like wading through a damp sponge, but victory tastes pretty sweet—even when it’s served with a side of sweat.