Running in IL Weather - Impossible Task!

Why does Illinois weather have to be SO damn dramatic?  Seriously....we skip spring entirely this year....and go from winter to all time record highs where we haven't seen this type of streak of heat in late May/early June since the 1930s....to then have a 30 degree swing the next day with 5" of rain and people kayaking down the street!  Nope...not kidding....here is a great photo my friend took who blocks from her house:

Do people think that's really 'just rain'.... Come on, I know I'm a Civil Engineer by trade but COME ON PEOPLE....that's POOP WATER!  Gross! 


So....as I vent, here are my current problems with IL weather wrecking havoc week 1 of marathon training:

1.  Monday I arrived home at 1:20 and had to run 3 miles over my lunch before my sitter left, and I had to get back to work.  It was day one of my 18 week marathon program for the next few months of preparation for the October Chicago Marathon.  The day BEFORE this the Chicago Half Marathon had been cancelled early and one man actually DIED.  (Tragic....and boy was I glad I wasn't there.  Seriously....I swear I run all those types of races.  I kind of have a bad-luck-knack for it!).  So....Sunday was literally deathly hot and Monday was not better.  When I stepped out of my car to run, it was 98 degrees with a 'feels like' of 105!  Yes, that is NOT a typo.  I headed out with my water bottle that was empty from my car, with full intentions of filling it at the park I was going to hit at mile 1.  I was doing ok with the heat - really - mid day runs are usually my strongest - but obviously, was really looking forward to getting close to the park to get a drink and fill up my bottle.  So....I get to the water fountain, stop and guess what - IT IS NOT TURNED ON!

The tease of water at mile 1.  A nice fountain, shiny, and dry as can be :(

Lucky for me, the park district office is 50 yards from this fountain.  I jog over there and right next to the front desk was a water fountain, with cold working water!  I naturally just assumed the outside one was broke and thought it would be good to inform the desk staff since there were bus loads of kids at the park, runners like me, and 'maybe' they should fix it to avoid a bigger problem later.  When I mentioned it to the lady....she said..."Uh, I don't know if parks&rec have turned them on yet".... WHAT!?!  The receptionist at the park district office actually thinks that well - it's the first week of June - there are kids everywhere - and temp is 100 degrees - and maybe our town has turned them on from winter yet???  I know we live in weird Illinois and Chicago weather, but come on - it's the hottest day of the year lady!  I instantly knew she must not have a clue as to what her department even does - but she did make a note to make me feel better and she would 'let someone know' :)  To make myself feel better - and reassure myself that she was crazy and our park district wasn't withholding water from our runners and hot kiddos in June, I stopped at another park water fountain about a half mile down the road.  Guess what - WATER WORKED!  So.... I have complete faith in our park district, just not people in general :)

So....day 1 I thought I was going to be the next running fatality - but in the end, I just had to work to get it - in 100 degree weather.

2.  I ran again on Wednesday, after work, before I had to push mow the entire yard.  This day I didn't have any water issues as I carried my own from home, but today my music was dead.  Yep...no juice in the iPod.  So...I was then sucked into the rhythm of my own hyperventilation in the 96 degree weather.  I know, I know....'get up at 6am to run and stop complaining'..... I whole heartedly agree, I even set my alarm each day.  But, it ain't gonna happen.  In the back of my mind I know that it's only 3 miles and I can squeeze it in anytime later in the day, so I never get up.  I know it would be 10,000 times better than what I'm doing each day, but I just can't do it :(  Historically I've found that once I get into higher mileage as marathon training progresses, I can usually make myself get up and really run at 5 or 5:30 in the morning if it is 8 miles or more.  Anything less than that, my internal psyche won't let me roll out of bed for.

3.  And now today... Today I had ambition of running 3-6 miles later this afternoon after work.  But....just got off the train and the freaking roads are flooded everywhere...and boy - it's cold outside!  So....heat exhaustion yesterday to trekking thru poop water today - no thanks.

One week is almost done and I have 17 more of these until race day.  Seriously - it's gotta get better....it really does!  Maybe some nice days in the mid-70s??  Oh...to dream of living anywhere besides dramatic weather Illinois...ahhh to dream :)