The Workout That Tested Me
Yesterday, I headed out for a long run that doubled as a VO2 max workout. I’d slept in a little, so by the time I got moving, it was hotter and more humid than I’d hoped for.
This was my second tough workout of the week, and I wanted to push myself — but not overreach. The plan was simple but demanding: a warm-up, then 8 sets of 2-minute intervals at 5K pace, each followed by a 2-minute jog recovery.
Heat, Humidity, and Hard Lessons
When the temperatures climb and the humidity makes cooling difficult, it’s easy to underestimate how quickly things can go south. I’ve been learning how to manage this better — mostly by making mistakes.
There have been plenty of workouts I’ve had to cut short, or skip entirely, because I misjudged how hard the heat would hit me.
Yesterday, the first 4 intervals went well. I was hitting my paces, but I made a smart adjustment: instead of jogging between sets 4 and 5, I walked and sipped from the 10 oz of electrolyte drink I’d brought. It wasn’t cold, but it helped.
Understanding the Body in Heat
When it’s humid, your body works overtime trying to cool you. Sweat doesn’t evaporate efficiently, so your heart rate climbs as your body pushes more blood to the skin’s surface to cool off. Even on hot days, your core temp is usually higher than the air — unless you’re running in triple-digit heat.
I have a high sweat rate. It’s actually a sign of good fitness, but it comes with a cost — I lose a lot of fluids and electrolytes, which can hurt performance.
Knowing When to Adapt
I finished the 5th interval on pace but started to feel the strain. Around 40 seconds before each rep ended, I was already digging deep. Struggling in the final 10 seconds is one thing — but 40 seconds is a lot of pain real estate.
I had two choices: slow down or adjust the recovery. Slowing would’ve been smart and effective — just a 10–15 second drop in pace still stresses the system enough. But I’ve always struggled to back off once I’m locked into a rhythm.
In college, my coach sometimes cut my workouts short because I’d push too hard on the intervals. That was before GPS watches gave you instant pace feedback.
So I compromised: I added 30 seconds to my recoveries for sets 5 through 8. That gave me the margin I needed to stay on pace without redlining.
The Cool Down and the Cemetery
After the final rep, I walked a few minutes, finished the rest of my electrolyte drink, and began my cooldown jog.
Sometimes the cooldown feels harder than the workout. That’s when I focus on slowing down, breathing well, maintaining good form — and finding something to enjoy.
As I jogged through a cemetery, I passed an elderly man walking with a cane. He was moving slowly, carefully — but he was moving. I wanted to say something encouraging, but I wasn’t sure how it would come across. So I simply smiled and said, “Good morning.”
Reflection on Movement and Mortality
As I ran past the rows of gravestones, I thought about him. About all of us. Maybe he was thinking the same thing: this is where we’re all headed. First old age, then eventually, the end.
We don’t like to think about death — not in our culture, anyway. Our ancestors lived with it more directly. Today, we’re shielded from it, which makes it harder to accept.
But the truth remains: we can’t outrun aging. We can’t outrun death.
Still, I realized — by pushing myself the way I do, I’m at least kicking the old man down the curb. Delaying the inevitable a little longer.
No one knows what their future holds. But while I have this strength, this breath, this body — I’ll keep pushing. Every effort, every hard rep, every mindful step — it’s one more act of quiet resistance.
We can’t escape our own mortality.
But we can train our bodies and minds today
to better face the challenges of tomorrow.
Filling Up the Cup 