Running in the Jungle

Another steamy weekend here on the East Coast has come and gone. We stayed inside most of the time, and the AC labored all weekend to keep up with the oven-like heat.

Running was even more onerous. Saturday we woke up and it was already 85 degrees outside (heat index 97!) at 7:30 AM, so A took Teddy, our dog, for his walk but cut it short and carried him home the final few blocks.. I was contemplating my 3 mile run outside, but the heat worried me, so I decided to head indoors and did my run on the treadmill at the gym.

The rest of the day I spent catching up on reading one of my new favorite comics, The Manhattan Projects (MP). Yes, I read comics. No, I'm not 14. Yes, I read the classic books (namely Batman and Justice League). No, I'm not one of those crazed fanboys you see wearing Storm Trooper outfits at conventions. Although I will be going to Baltimore's Comic-Con in September, but in shorts and a t-shirt. Comics are a nice distraction from my dry day job; it spices up my reading and the stories, when you find a good writer, are engaging.

Anyway, I'll post more comic-related stuff at some other time. Suffice to say I've really gotten into MP and I was able to score a first print, issue #1 off eBay for $8 to complete my series thus far (I came into it on issue #3). A hazy, hot and humid afternoon sitting in the air conditioning was a perfect time to catch up.

Sunday we woke up early again and I took Tedward for his walk. He did much better, as the temps were a little lower. He made it the whole way (about a mile round trip on his usual route) and was zonked the rest of the day. After I got him back, I changed and headed out for my 4 mile "long" run. No gym for me, thank goodness. I headed south, towards the Inner Harbor, around the waterfront, turned around at the Rusty Scupper restaurant (food: meh) and headed back up St. Paul St all the way back into Mt. Vernon. Here's a map of my route.

The run back from the harbor was tougher, being uphill, than the trip down. But overall, it wasn't that bad and much better overall than last Sunday, when I flamed out about three blocks from the end.

Today was a rest day. Tomorrow is another 3 miler that should be much more comfortable.