It’s no secret that the weather in New York and elsewhere is hazardous to all forms of strenuous outdoor activity. The actual temperature in lower Manhattan just hit 103 degrees. Children in my neighborhood are undoubtedly tapping into fire hydrants at this moment for relief, and our own grandmotherly Mayor Bloomberg on Tuesday morning authorized city officials to open 500 cooling centers.

With this information in mind I have a slight sense of foreboding about the group training session tomorrow morning. The schedule calls for 12 to 13 miles, regardless of the 98-degree forecast. TNT takes every opportunity to temper the effects of exercising on the outer surface of the sun.  Our attentive coaching staff supplies steady streams of emails with handy tips to prevent heat stroke. We will also stay on the shaded roads of Central Park instead of running under the open sun on New York’s West Side Highway.

I have taken to running with a type of “camelback” that delivers almost two liters of water through a tube attached to its chest harness. There is also sun screen, packets of sodium to replace the supply in my body that will sweat out in five minutes and the usual assortment of running gels. There is also a game plan to run at slightly slower speeds and possibly break if confronted with irreversible dehydration – the kind of dehydration we only read about in National Geographic magazines.

There is no shame in admitting to running inside when the temperature rose above 95 degrees yesterday afternoon.

None of these observations help with the initial question. Perhaps the TNT marathon group will soak the blacktop of Central Park in perspiration because the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society is a great organization. Part of the overall reason may also involve some ego, or commitment to supporting our team mates. Perhaps we’ll never know the real reason, if any root cause actually exists.

Any good wishes and pledges along the way would be greatly appreciated. It’s still July, and August may be even hotter.