Early last week I watched the weather predictions – this is simply something I have to do when planning a long run. It looked like Sunday would be cooler than Saturday; weather.com suggested low humidity levels and temps around 83. So, when I rose at 4am this morning to 88 degrees, my heart sank. This week had been one of the most uncomfortable I have ever experienced in Phoenix – Thursday was 99 degrees at 4:30am – 99 DEGREES! Fortunately, another haboob infested Phoenix on Thursday night and by Friday morning I was able to run outside (only 82).

Yesterday, Anne told me she would meet me on my long run at mile 7 and mile 13. I always feel awful asking anyone to get up at 6am to cheer me on, but Anne never seems to give it a moment’s thought. So, when I stepped outside to begin my 16 miles, I knew I owed Anne and good run – that I needed to hit my mark’s with appropriate times.

At 5am I headed out of Ahwatukee and into Tempe and then turned into Chandler after mile 4. I passed bicyclist after bicyclist and couldn’t help but think about my friend Matt’s latest blog. He mentioned an “unnamed asshole” who rides with them some mornings in his latest issue. The truth is, I find most bicyclists to be “unnamed assholes” – well over 90% of them, at least. Why? Well, I have been a street-runner for years and RARELY do I meet a bicyclist willing to share the road. Because of this, I tend to hop from sidewalk to shoulder as I run. (Once, in fact, a bicyclist yelled/swore at me about being in the bike lane.) However, it’s not JUST about sharing the road; it’s a LOT more than that. Runners – well, most runners – say hello, give a wave or at least nod as they pass one another. I must have passed a half dozen runners this morning – all of whom greeted me at some point as we came close. However, I passed maybe two dozen, if not more, bicyclists, as well. ONE biker nodded. ONE! I wave, I say hello/good morning, I even smile through my mileage and I get bupkis in return. Bicyclists are clearly NOT enjoying their routines. I mean, doesn’t the workout produce endorphins – thereby putting them in good moods? All I have to say is this – I am working JUST a freakin’ hard as you, pushing out all these miles on my little size 8 feet, do me a favor and AT LEAST smile at me.

I just hope Matt smiles or says hello to those of us pounding the pavement. :)

Anyway – mile 7 came and went. Anne had water, Gu, wetnaps, tissues and Advil. I love her! After visiting for a couple of minutes, I headed out and at mile 9 took a short walk to cool off a bit. I have found that if I walk for a couple of minutes in the horrid heat, the sweat tends to cool me off and I can continue on the route. I did this every mile or so until I saw Anne again at mile 13 where she once again produced water, Gu, tissues and wetnaps. She walked with me for a couple of minutes and then said “you got this – only 3 miles left.”

As she turned to head back to her house, I realized she was right. It was only 3 miles and with a couple of minutes of walking interspersed in the 3 miles, I would be just fine. And, so I was – and of course, I was also never so happy to round the bend and see her house in the distance – a full 16 miles from where I started just under 3 hours prior. I had done it! As much as I wanted to quit several times, I resolved that I needed to finish. There was no asshole biker in the world able to keep me from finishing what I started, only my brain. And, this morning, my brain said “go.”