Just One of Those Days

Remember that time I wrote about the importance of being hydrated? Yeah, I think I need to go back and read that myself because I didn't follow my own advice today. And I had one of those days. Oh yeah, one of those days.

You'll be so glad to know I finished that godforsaken paper (and now there's another one!), but stayed up late and woke up early to finish it. The work day slugged by so painfully that 11 a.m. felt like 4:30 p.m., and I just wasn't in it today. At all.

But when I ran 6 miles after work I felt great. It was so nice I wanted to run outside, but didn't have enough time to get lost on the hills of Kent. So, I had an even run at the rec. center, hopped in the shower and made it five minutes late to class.

No more than two minutes into sitting down, however, I realized I was so dehydrated that I was on the verge of delirium. The only water I had after the run was the shower and apparently osmosis wasn't working today. It was all I could do to stay focused in class (I fidgeted, I doodled, I fidgeted some more, and I kept going back to when I'll get the next paper done), but there was nothing I could do to prevent making a fool out of myself when called on. Sigh.

So, I sang loudly to Over the Rhine's "Snow Angels" the whole ride home just to stay focused. It's only 10 miles from Kent State to my home, but it was one of those rides you a) shouldn't be making; b) seems to take forever; c) you don't really remember making once you get home. But I walked into my apartment, where Neil immediately poured me a good pint of iced tea, and chugged, chugged, chugged.

A gallon of water, a bowl of Honey Graham Squares and a cherry pie Larabar later: I'm ready for class! Oh, wait.

So, just to remind you (and me) what happens when you're not properly hydrated, I've included the "How Gatorade Saved an Ironman" video. Don't let it happen to you: