Yesterday's Run: Road. 35 degrees. 4 miles; Splits: 9:10; 9:06; 8:46; 8:30; 35:32; 8:53/mile average pace.
(First, I'm happy to report that my wife found my missing glove-in our garage. DOH!)
I was almost a "no-show" for yesterdays run. It was dark outside by the time I put on my running attire, but I couldn't back out since I was dressed and ready to run. (Take that logical left brain). I don't like running when it's dark, as I've whined before. I can't see very well with my coke bottle glasses lenses, especially when cars drive by. So I decided to run the same road route I had run the other day. It starts and ends at my home, and involves running on fairly well-lit sidewalks and roads. It's a new route I created by just randomly running out, around, and back to my home. That's why I love my Garmin. I can run wherever I want, and it tracks the mileage. Speaking of my Garmin, I've decided he/she needs a name. Other bloggers refer to their Garmins by name, and I just call mine a "Garmin." I feel as if I'm doing my Garmin an injustice by not calling it by a particular name. So please post your name suggestions in the comments section. Thanks! Back to yesterday's run. I took Monday off because I was feeling ass and leg aches and pains after my weekend runs. My theory is that running in my old shoes (because I didn't want to get my new shoes wet and ruin them) caused me the pains. They're more suitable as casual walking shoes now with the 550+ miles of running I put on them. Problem is. it's winter time, and we now have 3 inches or so of snow on the ground thanks to today's storm, and I'm not going to ruin my new running shoes during the winter. So I may have to deal with some aches and pains during my winter runs, or take a chance and run with my new shoes and hope my dehumidifier dries them out quickly. In case you don't already know, a dehumidifier is the perfect way to dry your shoes. I learned that at a running store. Anyhow, I didn't expect to run that well yesterday and wasn't excited about going out in the dark 35 degrees night. My first mile, as usual, was slow. BUT, it felt good. It was an effortless slower than I wanted to run mile 1. Unnamed Garmin beeped and displayed a 9:10, which actually surprised me since I was expecting a sub 9 minute mile since I was feeling good. I figured that the mainly uphill start was what slowed me down, but again, I was running smoothly. Mile 2 was more downhill, and I was still running smoothly and effortlessly. A sub 9 minute mile 2 was about to happen...NOT! Unnamed Garmin beeped, and now displayed a 9:06. Huh?! I turned and headed back the same way I had just run, and was now not only feeling "smooth," but warmed up as well. OK, so it had taken 2 miles in the 35 degrees temperature for me to warm-up. Fair enough. I ran uphill, turned the corner, up a slightly uphill street, took a left, and now had a nice downhill sidewalk run. I was now experiencing the perfect runner's feeling of being warm and cozy, legs and arms moving in rhythm, and breathing well. Plus my 70's tunes were blaring in my ears. Life was good, and I just KNEW mile 3 was going to be a good one. Mile 3: 8:46. Sweet! Feeling better than ever, I picked up the pace for my final mile. A right turn, across Route 10 (thank goodness no cars to dodge), down route 10, right onto Stony Hill Road for an up and down run. Left at the stop sign onto Country Club Road, wave to the Cox Cable guy up on the telephone pole and the police officer on the ground directing traffic, avoid uneven sidewalk obstacles, right onto Round Hill Road, conquer the steep 100 yard incline, turn the corner, and sprint downhill the last 100 yards to my home. Final mile: 8:30. That's more like it. Overall, a great run, and an even greater runner's high. It's runs like that that really make me appreciate how lucky I am to be a runner. OK, just a friendly reminder to help me name my Garmin. By the way, I've named my TomTom "Kathy." It's named after my wife, who, like my TomTom, likes to tell me what to do! If you're reading this Kathy, I love you! :-)