Overheat

Reflections on the weekend: I ran a half-marathon in Ocala, FL, with a heat index of 104. I pushed myself through heat exhaustion symptoms and finished with my race clothing drenched as if I had just taken a dip in a pool. The drive home took an hour and twenty minutes, and I tried to rehydrate while on the road, sipping on water, Gatorade, and Sprite to ease the nauseated feeling.

Later that day, after taking a rest, I attended an inspiring Evening of Poetry hosted by the Writer’s Alliance of Gainesville. I had the pleasure of listening to two talented traveling poets, James Norman, and Daryl Gussin, as part of their 2024 Wet Heat Dry Heat Overheat Tour. Local poets also read, and I was moved by the rhythm of their words. One line that stuck with me that night was “Write it down, or you’ll forget.”

Today, I woke up with an unusually low HRV reading, prompting me to take it easy. I allowed myself to relax and complete a jigsaw puzzle while listening to an audiobook. Currently, I’m engrossed in Jon Fosse’s “The Other Name,” his repetitive prose has me completely captivated.

Overall, this weekend taught me the importance of staying properly hydrated, appreciating the power of poetry in a small group setting, and finding solace in completing a 500-piece jigsaw puzzle.