Running in Phoenix, AZ

So my conference was in Phoenix and I had my plan to keep up with my running schedule while I was out there.  Well let's say I veered off the schedule a bit.  Here was the plan:

• Thursday 5 miles
• Saturday 16 miles
• Monday 8 miles

Here's how it went:

• Thursday - nothing
• Friday 3 miles
• Saturday 8 miles
• Monday - nothing

Not quite by the book.  So why the change?  IT WAS HOT!  I don't buy the "dry heat" thing.  It was 105 degrees on Friday.  I went out to run by 6:30AM and IT WAS HOT!  I don't know how people run out there.  I die in the heat. 

OK well there may have been one other reason why I cut it short on Saturday.....I might have wiped out.  Yep, had my first fall running.  I wish I could say it was because I was running on a really rugged trail and slipped gracefully and fell.  Nope.  Tripped on a very flat, perfectly level sidewalk in a really embarrassing way.  It was one of those slow motion falls.  I must have been enjoying the scenery and all of a sudden tripped.  I had my arms waving trying to regain my balance and couldn't pull it out.  I fell on my right side, rolled off of the sidewalk and almost hit a cactus.  Dirt flying everywhere.  I stood up as quickly as I could and looked around to see if anyone saw.  If anyone did, they weren't close enough for me to see them.  I ended up with bruises on both my knees, my elbow, my shoulder and lots of dirt all over my pants.  Oh and I was only a mile into the run.  I won't say that the bruises were preventing me from finishing 16 miles, but I may not have needed much of an excuse to cut it short.

Anyway...after icing my knees and elbows, I am back in tip top shape and hope to never have to run long distances in the desert again.

Lisa