Heat is exhausting

Here in Seattle, we don't get many "hot" summer days.  And when we do, they usually don't come around until August.  The end of June/beginning of July is usually still pretty gloomy.  The 4th of July usually isn't a spectacularly sunny event.

But here we are on July 1st and we've had a couple day streak of near 90 degree weather.  And let me just say that Seattlites complain WAY more about this kind of weather than our 3 week streaks of rain.  We don't melt in the rain, we melt in the sun.

With the heat wave settling in, I'm even more ecstatic that I've been varying my exercise choices.  While I don't exactly mind running in 35 degree rainy weather during the winter, I absolute hate running in any temperature about 70.  I'm a true Seattlite in that I'm a complete baby in the heat.  I don't know how anyone lives in SoCal or Florida and continues to run year-round.  I can't even fathom it.

So for the past few days, I've been doing my best to stay outside and active while avoiding running as much as possible.

Let's start with Friday:

I woke up in the morning and took Lucy for her 30 minute walk while things were still pretty cool.  Then I put on my biking gear for the first time this season and took Old Reliable out for a spin.  I didn't intend to go far, just wanted to get my biking legs back in gear and start building up a little seat time.  I chose to do an out and back on the Burke-Gilman because I figured it would be a straight, flat, easy ride for my first one back.  While it was flat, I quickly remembered why it was we tended to stay away from the Burke last summer--it hasn't been paved in quite a while, making for a very bumpy ride.  Not so good for the seat area.  Nonetheless, I made it out to Matthew's Beach, which is pretty much 10 miles from my apartment, making for a perfect 20 miler.

Gorgeous morning at the beach, and not at all too hot yet.

After getting home, I met up with Natalie to go paddle boarding for the first time ever.  I was a little nervous, as anyone would be trying something new for the first time, but very excited.  We hand-carted her 2 paddle boards down to a tiny little dock in Ballard and took off thinking we wouldn't be out too long.  Once we got out there though, we were both feeling great and ended up paddling all the way from the canal side of the Ballard locks to the Fremont Bridge and back.  I realized as we were out there that I should have worn my oh-so-fancy GPS watch so we could clock our distance.  Oh well, there's always next time.

The whole paddle boarding experience was pretty awesome, with just a few minor slip-ups.  We started out getting stuck behind a big boat that seemed to be a little confused as to where it was going.  We waited for a while as the crewmen called out their apologies and then finally crossed to the other side of the canal as they told us that "really, we aren't aiming for you!"  

Shortly after that, the first big boat passed us at full speed and sent the first big waves our way.  I'd been the most nervous about falling off in these big waves, so luckily I got that out of the way real quick.  It actually felt pretty good to hit the water on the hot day, but not so good to hit the board and get this little doozy:

Large, ugly bruises are always fun.  Especially when you
tell people that it's a battle wound from paddle boarding.

It was smooth sailing after that though, and I'm proud to say that on our 2+ hour paddle boarding trip, I did not fall again.  Hopefully when we go again tomorrow I'll make it the whole way without a single fall.

All in all, I've decided that I love paddle boarding.  You get an awesome core and arm workout without really feeling it as you are out there.  It only got a little difficult towards the end and as we headed back the last stretch to the dock and got hit with a pretty awful headwind.  But we made it back unscathed.  First paddle boarding experience = success!

Me, my paddle board, and my entirely too large rib cage
that sticks out way further than it should (thanks mom).

Saturday:

On Saturday morning, after getting up and taking Lucy for her walk, I finally admitted to myself that I should go for a run.  I stupidly waited until 11:00 to head out though, and paid for it dearly in the heat.  Luckily I thought to bring along my little handheld water bottle, which kept me properly hydrated for the way-too-hot 5 mile run.  As I was running, I reminded myself that it was Saturday morning and suddenly felt very strange for being out there on my own instead of with my TNT peeps on a Saturday long run.  Saturdays are going to feel very strange until I pick back up with a team again in the fall.  Especially because my best running buddy Erica is currently on a team and therefore not available to run with me on Saturday mornings.  I'll just have to make do for a couple months on my own.

I did see some TEAMmates on Saturday night though when I went to see Guster, Ben Folds Five, and the Bare Naked Ladies at White River Amphitheater.  While the show itself seemed a little subdued and empty, I had a ton of fun.  I've seen all 3 of these bands play before, love them all, and was very happy to be able to see them all again.

TEAMmates, sweating it out in the heat together all in the name of good music.

Sunday:

Sunday was even warmer than Friday or Saturday, but I was woken up by a text request to mosey my way down to the Pride Parade downtown.  I rolled out of bed, got myself together, and showed up at the parade just in time for the start.  Luckily, Erica and Armando had scouted out a shady spot under a tree and we sat for a couple hours watching a VERY entertaining parade roll by.  After, we strolled down to Seattle Center for a bit to wander through the festivities there and then all decided we were burnt out from the heat and headed back home.  After being out in the the sun all day, I gifted myself a rest day and made friends with my couch for the rest of the evening.

Who needs to exercise after you've seen a full-grown man ride a giant burrito?

Today (Monday):

I woke up excited and ready to get back out into the sunshine again today.  I got up early enough to take Lucy for her walk while it was still cool.  Then I met Ironman Jason for a bike ride through Magnolia, the Ballard Locks, and out to Golden Gardens.  One thing I learned last summer was that even on a hot day, you can stay pretty cool on a bike.  If you're going fast enough, the breeze keeps you cool and dry for the most part.  

The view from Golden Gardens was beautifully clear today.

We stopped for lunch in Ballard, biked back home, and then made our way down to Green Lake for a swim to cool off even more.  The Green Lake bathhouse was busier than I've ever seen it, especially on a Monday afternoon.  We dodged paddle boats, paddle boarders, and floats as we made our way out for a wetsuit-less swim.

I seriously thought I had done better at swimming straight today.  This map
says not so much.  I'm going to partially blame it on inaccurate
GPS in the water.

Looking back on the pictures and recap of the past few days, I guess I can see why I'm so exhausted now.  Perhaps I can't entirely blame it on the heat.  I'd like to say that it definitely compounds the exhaustion though.  

But I'm not going to complain about this kind of exhaustion.  I spent the last 4 days doing just what I wanted to do with some great friends while seeing some amazing sights offered by the wonderful city I live in.  That puts a smile on my face regardless of how hot and tired I am.

This picture does not do the view of Rainier from White River Amphitheater
any justice.  But it gives you a taste.  I love this city.