City streets are relentless in the summer. Or even, as yesterday proved, in mid spring. It was 91 degrees outside by the time I worked up the motivation to get out of my house and hit the pavement. Especially after a spell of cold to pleasant temperatures, the heat was downright jarring to my system.
Luckily, I own one of the greatest inventions a runner can own: the Camelbak.
I am not a running gadget person. I shun all fancy footwear and pedometers. I wear run-down crappy clothes when I work out. I don't like to use running apps on my iPhone. Outside of long-distance races where I get things for free, I shun products like Goo and sports drinks. But the Camelbak is one thing that I can't live without. I got mine for Christmas last year, and it might be the most useful thing I've received in years.
For the uninformed, a Camelbak is a backpack with a water reservoir. You access the water with a hose that hangs down over your shoulder. There are many different sizes of Camelbaks, designed for different activities. Mine happens to hold 1.5 liters of water, and includes a small pouch that could feasibly stash an ID and maybe some keys.
Even though I hydrated throughout the day, I felt thirsty almost as soon as I stepped out my door. I kept the little rubber nipple in my mouth as I jogged down 17th street. I tried to stick to the east sides of the streets to enjoy a little shade as I zig-zagged toward the boathouses on Kelly Drive. I slurped down so much water that I had to refill the pack in the Visitor's Center a brief 2 miles in.
I'm not hardcore enough to run long distances in the heat. Yesterday, I headed right back to my house from Kelly drive. I don't like having a steady stream of sweat running in my eyes. Breathing air hot as car exhaust isn't too fun either. But now I can at least arm myself against the heat. Maybe I'll stay in distance shape during our inevitable heat weaves this year after all.
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