For those sick of winter...

[Mid Life Crisis Marathon Man]

We down here in the antipodes are suffering one of the worst heatwaves ever... this afternoon we recorded the hottest temperature I've ever experienced... 44.3 degrees C (112 F) in the shade. Needless to say the only running I did was to the fridge and then back to the pool... exercise of a kind I suppose but hardly the preparation I was expecting for my 10K race next weekend.

Given the choice, I think I'd opt for your snow and ice, after all, it's easier to warm up than to cool down. Yes we have air-conditioning, but it struggled to be effective in any meaningful sense in this onslaught.

So damn hot I can't even think of anything funny to say. It's now past midnight local time and the temp is still in the high 30s... little chance of sleep, but still too darn hot to run, especially after 38 beers, 3 Serapax and a Mogadon.

Please send ice.

MLC Man.

[El Gordo]

It's funny, but that first winter I started running, I longed for summer when this would all be far more pleasant. Then summer came, and I found that running in the heat was much worse than running in the cold.

Seems that spring and autumn are the best times.

What about very early in the morning? We met some Texans when we were in Chicago, who had had to do their training at 4am, before it got too hot.

So there's your answer, MLCM. Seems a bit pointless going to bed, so you may as well down a few more tinnies until 4am, then get out there. And the double vision will allow you to count your miles twice.

[Mid Life Crisis Marathon Man]

Well Andy, one of my most enjoyable runs was at 3:30 in the morning, although that was a case of still being up and sleepless, rather than being disciplined and early.

The heat wave here continues and is beginning to affect the population. Last night (Monday night) I saw more hoons on the road than I would normally see in a year... and that's only a slight exaggeration if one at all. I didn't dare run on the road otherwise I would certainly have been run down - probably deliberately. It truly is scary to see what this heat is doing to people. It has been made worse because whereas we normally get hot dry northerlies, we're now getting tropical moisture streaming down across the continent mixed with it making it both incredibly hot (over 40 C several days) and very humid too.

Yes, 4 a.m. may be the only time to run, but having spent more years than is good for sanity or soul starting work at 4:30 a.m. (I am assured of my place in heaven as I've had my hell here on earth), I no longer voluntarily get up at 4 in the morning - not even for a run. And so I slot it in where I can - which means lately not very much, although I managed a midnight 5 mi/8 km last night which was reasonably pleasant due to a cooling breeze which blew down from the hills.

Interestingly, a senior medico was on the news at the weekend condemning sporting organisations and sports people for doing any sport when the temperature is over 35 C (95 F)... this followed a state softball comp at which 30 kids were hospitalised, despite the playing times being decreased and drinks breaks increased. It was 47 C (116 F) though, so I think the doc probably had a point. And I thought I had encountered hell on earth...

Please fax a few tons of sleet and a small glacier.

MLC Man.