Critters and Spectacles

summer in the swampland

While this site dispels the urban myth that DC was built on a swamp, I don't really care right now. It's hot. I'd call it Africa hot, but I know from Africa hot, and this isn't quite it. But it's hot.

In training for the Marine Corps Marathon this fall (here's the account from last year), we've got track workouts every Wednesday evening. Last summer, on the one Code Orange day of 2004, I had an exercise induced asthma attack - my first. I've got an inhaler and until recently, I had no further problems. Two weeks ago, I had a wee asthma attack during the cooldown and I had to stop. Last week, I ran in the morning due to a conflict that night and was fine. Tonight, on the 8th of 8 fast laps around the track, I had another one. I had already taken several puffs on my inhaler and just couldn't keep up the pace.

Most references I've found point to cold, dry air as a trigger for EIA, but my trigger seems to be hot and muggy. I can tell that one is coming on when I get a side stitch high up on my left side. Once I feel that, I know I need to slow it down. After cooling off and walking for a bit, I was able to pick it back up again and keep going. Now, I don't mean to complain, because I know that a lot of people have it much worse than I do, I just wanted to vent a bit. If this keeps up, then I switch to doing track workouts on my own in the morning. It sure does help to do them with a group, though!

Father's Day is coming up and I've got to buy cards and send presents!