Transition to Hotter Desert Running

I know for many this may not be a subject of any interest, or nothing you may every have to think about.

However, for the runner who likes to continually learn about the sport and the different aspects of how it implies from region to region this might be of interest or at the least slightly humorous.

As you may or may not know, I've always lived in the desert state of Utah. However, although the entire state is dry, the southern part of the state where I recently moved is not only much dryer but even hotter than it gets up north.

Here is my little running desert parody.

* Gotta drink lots and lots of water all day. Besides the fact that it's needed to walk around outside during 110 degree days. If your not fully hydrated all the time, you can loose a lot of your energy and have a lack of effort even in the cooler morning or evening hours for running.

* Lizards squishing under your foot are likely much grosser feeling than stepping on other bugs. I used to think stepping on a snail on a trail was a yucky feeling.
Well I haven't done it yet, other than I am pretty sure one lost its tail because of me the other day. I am dreading when one darts and I get the whole body squish under my foot. Because I don't always look down, and one of these times I'm not going to see one of the buggers in time!

* Every time I see a roadrunner bird on the trail, I can't help but thinking back to my childhood Loony Tunes days and thing *beep beep* as one passes or crosses me on the trail.

* 100 or upper 90's actually feels cool and is the signal in the evenings that it's okay to go out on a run. Even if you have to wait until after dark for it to cool off that much.

* Mornings are ideal, it's cooler, the sun does heat things up quick as soon as it is out. However, right now because fall is on the way I find if I run on the east side of a mountain I can have shade well into the 8am hour.

* I am glad I missed June and July! Hopefully next year I'll be acclimated enough that I won't complain that it may still well over 100 after 10pm, LOL

* You actually have to pay attention if the sky starts looking like its going to dump rain, because even a minute or two of raining can cause major flooding (as I've already seen), so I've already had to remember not to be near any dried streams/rivers or low places if the sky starts to rumble. On the other hand, storms are rare, but since I bring rare weather to places, LOL we've had a few more rain storms than normal!

* Last, these beetle bugs. I wish I had a picture, imagine a huge beetle that make this loud buzzing sound like your standing right under a power line. Each time I run past a tree that has one in it, I just hope it stays up high, LOL
On the plus side, I am usually finished with my run before the scorpions come out, although I've seen a few in rocks along the side of the trails.
Not that I'm this ewe there's a bug type of girl, LOL I don't care much except I prefer things not to fall on me or me having to squish anything big under my running shoe, just saying...

So yes, I may have bored you to death. But those are my *fun* new experiences running in the desert.

What are things you come across when you run where you live?

Do you hate accidentally crushing living things when you step on them in a run too?