Below 60 and Running

Last night, I was so stressed out, all I wanted to do was throw on my running shoes and run until I fell over. But I had to work on my writing plan for my thesis which is due today.

This morning, I did not have the same enthusiasm to run. I stayed in bed until 7:00am, and then decided to see what the temperature was like...more so to give me another excuse not to go, especially since I had already mentioned to all of you that I was going to go running today. But when I picked up my phone and hit the weather icon I was shocked. 57 degrees. 

That is all it took. No way was I going to pass up a chance to run in 50-odd degree weather when I've been steaming in 70- and 80-degree weather for the past few weeks.

The beginning of the run felt great because of the cooler temp. But I felt really sluggish, which I think is a result of some poor food choices I made yesterday. My average mile time was 9:45 today.

On my run this morning, along the river, I saw two groups of women rowing out on the water. I wanted to cheer from the park, "whoot whoot. Morning workout!" But decided not too. I've never done rowing before, but I think it would be fun to try it some time...

Flying Solo

Today, I ran alone. No Luke, and no Baxter. Instead, I sprinted against yellow traffic lights and quoted The Little Engine that Could to myself when I wanted to stop and walk.

My mile average for the 3 miles I ran this morning was 9:17. With Baxter, I've been running a slow 13:00 or so. So it felt good to establish "my pace" again, as this is comparable to what I was running before the madness of this summer began...with moving and traveling and quitting the gym.

My plan to ease back into things is to run Wednesday and Friday, then do some kind of fun alternative exercise on Saturday, like rollerblading or biking. Come Monday next week, I would like to begin alternating my run days with strength training again...I can't remember the last time I strength trained. But I guess that's the beauty of writing an exercise blog...I can just look in the archives!

Happy exercising, all. Happy Monday.

Playlist

This week has been insane! I've basically been working from 7:00am to 6:00pm each day. I had a board meeting one evening, a birthday party another, and then I worked on my master's thesis two of the evenings. I've been exhausted.

This morning was my first relaxed morning of the week, and my first opportunity to go out and do what I enjoy...run! Baxter came with me, and I didn't even remember to put on my stop watch because I just wanted to get out and do it, rather than be concerned with timing myself.

It was much cooler today than it has been recently, so that made the run more pleasant, and helped Baxter stay cool enough to continue jogging with me.

There were a ton of people out this morning, covered in sweat. Most of them were wearing ribbons around their necks, so I figured there must have been a race this morning. In fact, it was the Minnesota Half Marathon in Saint Paul. During our usual loop, Baxter and I ran by the remnant of the start line and check in. I really want to run a race at some point. Maybe next spring.

A few weeks ago, a friend of mine asked me for the playlist that I listen to while I'm on my runs; so, here it is:

• Can't Buy Me Love, The Beatles
• Cramp Your Style, Breakestra
• Crazy, Gnarls Barkley
• Darts of Pleasure, Franz Ferdinand
• Drumming Song, Florence + the Machine
• Gone Daddy Gone, Gnarls Barkley
• Hollaback Girl, Gwen Stefani
• I Feel It All, Feist
• Kiss With a Fist, Florence + the Machine
• Last Nite, The Strokes
• Lisztomania, Phoenix
• Paper Planes, M.I.A.
• Stickshifts and Safetybelts, CAKE
• Stronger, Kanye West
• The Denial Twist, The White Stripes
• Viva La Vida, Coldplay
• Youthless, Beck
• Bright Lights Bigger City, Cee Lo Green
• F**k You, Cee Lo Green
• Love Gun, Cee Lo Green
• Satisfied, Cee Lo Green
• It's OK, Cee Lo Green
• What Park of Forever, Cee Lo Green
• Thriller, Michael Jackson

This is a lot of music, but I have, on occasion, needed all of it for a run. Granted, it's been awhile. Right now, Stronger by Kanye West is strategically placed close to the end of my longer runs right now. There is something about that song that helps me finish "strong" and gives me better running posture.

Sweat and Salty

Last night, I was determined to get up and run this morning.

I set my alarm for 7:30, because I was going to bed at a reasonable hour and figured it would be cool enough in the morning for a three-mile run.

I finally peeled out of bed at 10:30, got Baxter's running back pack out and set out on a run. We made it about a mile and a half before the heat was just too much. The second mile and a half was spent dripping with sweat at a mere walk.

...how many more times will it take before I actually get up and go when my alarm first goes off? My drowsy morning self shouldn't second guess my clear decision-making before bed. Staying positive...at least I still went out and followed through rather than made excuses about the heat and didn't go at all.