Exercise, energy and heat

Summer in the south.  What in the world am I doing here? 

            I am a first generation US citizen, born to immigrants from Northern Europe, Scotland to be specific.  When asked why my father would have chosen North Louisiana as a place to settle, I can only offer that his sister married an Air Force enlisted man who was stationed here.  No one voluntarily lands where the summer temperature and humidity are roughly equal for two to three months of the year.  The national weather folks actually issue warnings suggesting that you should not engage in outdoor activities when the humidity exceeds the temperature.  That pretty much describes the better part of July and all of August.  Except of course when the temperature gets to 100 degrees (40 plus for my friends that have converted to metric); humidity is measured as a percentage, so theoretically it can’t exceed 100.  Theoretically!  Because if you have ever been in Louisiana in August you know that cement actually sweats.  And I will admit this is not the warmest place I have been.  Cambodia has Louisiana beat.  But not by much, but we did impress the Cambodians with our adaptation to their humidity. 

            The key is the adaptation.  You must have your body acclimate to the extremes in temperature.  You can’t just jump into summer; you must ease your body into the season.  Gradually introduce yourself to hot air so wet with humidity that it feels like you are in a humidifier.  And you must adapt your activities.  For example, most people will not leave their homes or places of business between 3 p.m. and 6 p.m. except to enter another air conditioned environment or a swimming pool.  Local schools begin marching band practice in August, at 6 a.m.  The heat can be so oppressive that it steals your breath.  Anyone found outside engaging in any activity in late afternoon will be assumed to be crazy or “not from here.”  Mad dogs and Englishmen. 

            And an early start isn’t always the answer.  I walk every morning.  Every morning.  Partly because I need the exercise.  Partly because my dog needs the stimulation.  We walk three laps around the complex, about 1.3 miles.  Some mornings it is so hot Lily tries to convince me as we pass the house for the second time that we have already done three laps.  Some mornings it is so hot, I believe her.  A new twist on morning exercises is my running.  In an effort to build stamina for future endeavors I have taken up running.  Currently I am up to 50 minutes of continued running effort.  And in this heat, it also means that I am preparing for a wet T-shirt contest, because one of the things I am best at is sweating.  And it’s not just my t-shirt.  The other morning my socks were so wet, I left little sock prints as I walked through the house. 

            Thanks for summer.  Where is November?