It’s been a while…
Two whole months to be exact….
Oh blog, how I have missed thee.
These past several weeks have been incredibly busy at work. So busy, in fact, that it’s been a challenge to fit in my runs during the week. As Lindsey mentioned in a previous post, it gets dark so early now! It is funny- I’m sure that I noticed in past years of my life, but it’s only now that I immediately wonder how I will run in the dark when the sun starts to set at 4:30. A reflective belt is now a permanent part of my after work running attire. Becoming a runner has changed the way I look at a lot of things.
It has also changed my behavior. For example, I hate being cold. Moving from Georgia to Virginia took some getting used to for this southern girl.
{And no, I don’t think Virginia is the true South. I’ve had this conversation with a lot of people since moving here to this beautiful state, and it all depends on your perspective and home state. If you grew up in New York, I’m sure Virginia seems like a foreign country where no one- syllable words exist and girls secretly wish hoop skirts and petticoats were still in fashion. But for me, it’s not the South. I’m talking Deep South. Truth: If you can’t order sweet tea in every restaurant you visit, then it’s not the south. This is proven}
Anyway, back to the running. And my behavior change. And the cold. Yesterday was a chilly morning- around 8:00 a.m., I believe it was in the mid 30’s. Despite the warmth of my bed and a slumbering husband who sweetly said, “Hell, no, I’m not running out there,” I pulled on sweatpants, a long-sleeve shirt and a fleece. Even Austin looked at me and said, “I don’t think I’ll make it at 8:00.” (This statement was followed by the sound of her bedroom door shutting tight… smart girl, it keeps the warmth in)
Despite ALL of these intelligent people advising me otherwise, I laced up my new Brooks running shoes and headed outside in my neighborhood to run 10 miles. Let me just begin by saying that my neighborhood is entirely too full of hills. I’m not sure who put them there, but I really wish they’d come and take them back. I believe I’ve already stated my position on hills in a previous post, so I won’t go into that again. The reason I actually chose to run in my neighborhood is because Lindsey looked up the elevation in Austin and it seems like the first 8ish miles are pretty hilly. Sigh… So I guess it only makes sense that I put those pesky hills to use.
My plan was to run 5 miles straight away from our house so that at the end of them, I’d be forced to run (or crawl) 5 miles back. Even after three half-marathons, I still have to play mind games with myself. Especially on cold mornings and when I’m all by myself.
Bad thing about the run: The cold!! I ran with a pair of Old Navy fleece gloves, but my fingers were so cold that they hurt. My solution was to pull my fleece sleeves over my gloves and continue running down the road looking like an idiot. I may try to get some hand warmers (which I saw in the hunting section at Dick’s… I was forced to stand in the hunting section with my husband on Saturday. Why we actually went into a store during the Christmas season is beyond me. Amazon, how I love thee… I’m feeling very Shakespearian today)
Good thing about the run: The new energy chews that Linds found! They are called Honey Stinger energy chews and taste almost just like Gummy Bears. I bought a box of the Cherry Blossom flavor and anticipate trying not to eat them for a snack when I’m just sitting around on the couch watching Bravo t.v.
I need to get some of those cold compression pants. Still not sure they’ll be comfortable to run in, but I’ve got to try something warmer than 5 year old sweat pants.
Currently (and shamelessly) listening to: Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas”
I’m planning to do a repeat of last week and then add 2 onto the long run: 4, 5, and 8 mile runs during the week and then 12 this weekend.
Now, off to make myself do those 4 miles….
-Heather
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