Going for Another Record

So you might remember my disappointment/bitterness a few weeks ago when our streak of 100 degree days ended just a couple days shy of the all-time record here for a streak.  Well, fortuntately I suppose, there's another record within reach.  Turns out they also measure total days at 100 or higher (so it doesn't matter if you throw in a day at 99, which ended our last streak, this one starts counting again when we get back to 100 or higher).  And it's that infamous summer of 1980 that has us beat again, well, at least so far. 

Greatest annual 100 degree (or higher) days in Dallas

1.  69 in 1980 (d'oh!)
2.  57 this year (that includes Tues, 8-23, and I'm pretty sure we hit it yesterday too, so 58!)
3.  56 in 1998 (I was here!  But I left in mid-July and spent the rest of the summer in KC.)
4.  52 in 1954 (not born yet)
5.  48 in 1956 (not born yet)
6.  46 in 2000 (I was here!  But I left in August for a month in Kenya, Tanzania, Italy, Austria, Czech Republic, Switzerland, and maybe one other place I can't remember.)
7.  44 in 1952 (not born yet)
8.  43 in 2006 (I was here but not running long that summer thankfully, I took 2006 off from marathons)
9.  40 in 1951 (not born yet)
10.  38 in 1963 (not born yet)

It's hard to explain why this streak matters to me.  It's notable that for all the years on that top 10 list that have been in my lifetime, I've lived in Texas for all of them except numero uno, 1980.  And the thing is, most of the people I know here have lived here about as long as I have.  I don't know tons of people born and raised  here.  But wow, those few who were here in 1980 talk about it ALL the time.  I want to get a record to reflect the misery of this summer.  I want all those 1980ers to shut it.  Interestingly, our lows are higher this summer than they were in 1980, so it's definitely more miserable for people like me who try to work out first thing in the morning at the coolest time of the day.  But I want the unquestionable badge of a record.  So let's just have 12 more days.  They don't have to be in a row, let's just do it.  I think, looking at the extended forecast, we should get today, Fri, Sat, and Sun.  And it's less certain but probably Mon and Tues too (those days are only looking like 101 or 102, so not much cushion). 

Then we'd only need 6 more days to beat the record!  We'll surely have a couple in Sept.  I wonder if it will happen.  I may have to take comfort in another 2d place finish for the summer of 2011...

But it means that it's guaranteed to make me strong on race day, right?