Spring-like Run

What do you do when it's February, almost 60°, with a crystal clear blue sky and you were up, on and off, all night with either a stomach bug or bad food??  Why run, of course!!!  

I had a really rough start to the morning but when I stepped out of church and felt that sun, I knew there wasn't any sick feeling or due assignments that were going to keep me away from the road.

Just a short run. That's all I wanted. Some movement in the blessed sun! 

Even though it was short, I had lots of thoughts today.....

Mile 1 

* The first hill was torture, I wanted to walk but didn't. I haven't run hills in months. I look up the hill and I don't remember it looking so steep.

* One step, then the next, it's how I make it up hills. 

Yep, it's sharpie time again.
I can't explain writing on myself
helps to motivate me, yet it does. 

*Step. Visceral pleura. Step. Cubital region. Step. Adipose connective tissue. Step. Atomic mass. Step. Sagittal section. I stress with each step about remembering what all these words mean. 

The beauty of the hill is that by the time I reach the first flat spot, these words are all gone from my head. The stress of college is eradicated, at least for these 30 minutes. 

* I turn to go up the next hill. Holy cow. The sun feels glorious and incredibly warm. I feel the tiredness melt away. I'm grinning. I wonder if I can grin any bigger. It's been too long since I've had a run to lose myself in my thoughts. 

I have my Sub30 tribe with me....

* There's a sheep on the side of the road. Is the singular of sheep just sheep? I mean geese is goose. Is it shoop? Of course not, but my musing entertain my overworked mind. 

* Oh look at that, mile one already. 11:12 mile. It's ok. I'm out here for relaxation and escape. 

Mile 2

* The hill is making my legs burn a bit. Only 1/2 mile to go and I can turn around. 

* Man this hill is steep, must be time to run around. Dang, only 1.08 miles in. I know right where my turn around is so I try not to look at my watch again. 

* Crap, 1.22. That's it?  

* Hey, is that wild looking dog, that's barking insanely at me, going to stop running towards me? Guess so....he must have forgotten he was on a short chain. 

* Two weeks till my first important race of 2017. One mile. That's it, one tiny mile. I'll have to warm up for 2-3 miles to be able to really push myself in that mile. It will be a good springboard into my spring training for my two half marathons in May. I wonder if I can hit 9 for the mile. Randy reminded me what my fast mile on the track was, 7:21. I won't be hitting that, at least not yet. I'd like to get my fitness back there again. 

* Finally, the turn around point. Some of you have heard me call this run my "running the boob" run. I couldn't stop laughing the first time I saw the elevation map after running this. 

* I become very aware that I'm trying out my new Vibrams on the way back down the hill. I love how my feet feel so in-tune to the road. My last handful of runs have been in actual sneakers and even though it's kept my big toe from constantly hurting, I turn my ankle more in them. 

* Damn it. Right through mud that covered my toes because a truck was coming and I had no choice but to move into the ditch! Here's a pretty picture of them before they because mud covered.....

*As I'm heading back down the hill, I find myself grinning even bigger than before. I LOVE the downhill. The rapid steps, the deep concentration on form, the feeling of free fall, the speed. After pulling my hamstring in 2010, I spent many years afraid of the downhill till I started running these roads. 

* Quick short steps, hips slightly forward, shoulders back, body tipped back a bit, arms controlled to the sides. All things I pay attention to. 

 I grin like a fool and run down the hill at a pace that has woken up my winter sleepy legs. 

My pace going down the hill was so refreshing.
Now to get my HR down. I know only more
running with help with that. 

* There's no shoulder on these roads so I always, and regretfully, slow down on the curves in case I need to jump into the ditch! 

* Mile two. Gone. 10:36.

 Mile 3 

* I'm trying to decide if I want to keep doing past my road or head home. The lack of sleep from last night is winning this battle.

* I'm daydreaming about a cup of coffee and then a nap. Reality also starts to seep back in. I have so much homework tonight!

* Signs of the coming spring are all around me. The birds are just as happy as I am today. The water is flowing like crazy from the melting snow.

* When I'm on the straight away, my Musician drives by.

* I stop briefly to chat with him and he offers me a ride. It's so tempting but I decline. It's about my 1st minutes. (Motivational Trick) They've been bad this last year. Time to get back to living the lifestyle I enjoy living. One where my pain is from pushing my body to see what it can do, instead of pain from pushing the fork to my mouth.

I get home and I'm out of breath from the last hill but still so elated to be out here on a day that is finally sunny and warm. I realize I have wonderful sweat running down my face.  I love the feeling of sweating from running!

Sweating with snow still on the ground

I'm really excited about the upcoming temps. I know we'll have lots more cold days but for the next few days, the running weather is going to be wonderful!