By adapting to warm temperatures and high humidity, U.S. Olympic team members Galen Rupp, Kara Goucher and Amy Yoder Begley are hoping to take on Beijing's weather conditions as if they're no sweat. The runners, who live and train in Portland and are coached by Alberto Salazar, flew to Houston on Saturday to begin a week-long visit designed to acclimatize to sweltering heat and oppressive humidity -- two things that aren't often prevalent in Portland. The Beijing Games, which begin Aug. 8, aren't expected to be scorching hot. On average, Beijing is warm and muggy in August. The distance running events, except for the marathon, are generally held in the evening, when temperatures should be in the low 80s with humidity of about 75 percent.
When I first moved to Texas, people would ask me what the weather was like. What I told that was that if they stepped out of a shower and stuck their head in a pizza oven, they'd have a good idea of what I had to deal with on a daily basis. And you wonder why I'm happy to no longer be living there? A couple days ago, I came home from work and went for a 10-mile walk. At 5.30pm here in Portland, it was 71 degrees. What was it like in Houston at 5.30pm the same day? How about 97 degrees (and Lord only knows what the humidity was). Ask me how much I miss that, eh??
It seems a sad commentary when Houston can be used to replicate the heat, humidity (if not quite the pollution) of Beijing. What astounds me is that I lived there for ten years. The high today (on August 1st) is supposed to be 74 degrees, with minimal humidity. Why would I miss Houston?
If you need me, I'll be outside and NOT sweating and slapping mosquitoes.
