Random Thoughts on a Thursday

This morning was a 5 mile run.  I usually run very well the day after speedwork, so I was looking forward to running this morning.  I checked the weather last night and it was supposed to be in the high 20s overnight - so I laid out my running jacket and some gloves with my running clothes.  Unfortunately I got to bed much later than I wanted to (around 11:30pm) so when my alarm went off it was a battle of "should I go back to sleep" or "should I run".

I convinced myself to get out of bed.  The kicker was when I started to consider my weekly mileage.  Next week I'm peaking at 40 miles - along with a 20 mile run on the weekend.  I didn't want to log less than 30 this week as that would be too drastic of a jump in my mind.  It's funny what things will get a crazy runner out of bed.

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I put on my older running shoes.  I have used the new ones for both runs this week and they feel good, but I believed that my old shoes still have some life in them so I was going to alternate between the two pairs for the first two weeks.  Well...about two miles into my run I decided that this would be the last one for this pair of shoes.  The newer ones felt so much softer and springier...it's no wonder I hurt so much after last weekend's 18.8 mile run (OK...most of the hurt was related to the fact that I ran close to 19 miles - not the shoes - let's get real).

So move over Brooksie G5 Sr.  Here comes Brooksie G5 Jr.  You're being retired at 334 miles.

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I didn't get out the door until 6am.  It was still dark, but the sun started to set very soon afterwards.  So, most of my run was not in the dark this morning.  Hooray!

Actually, I started to think about this week's long run of 14 miles.  The latest I can start the run and be home by 9am is 6:30am.  So I can potentially run a full long run in natural light.  Hallelujah!

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I actually overdressed this morning.  I probably did not need the gloves (they came off about 2.5 miles into my run) and I would have done fine with a baseball cap instead of a winter hat.  I was definitely compensating for yesterday's run where I underdressed and was frozen!

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I crossed paths with a good number of runners this morning.  I'm a friendly runner who normally gives a wave, a nod or a "good morning" to fellow runners - even though I don't know these people.  To my surprise, I waved to one of these anonymous fellow runners and then did a double-take (she did as well) as this was someone that I know from synagogue :-)  After our double-takes we both did a quick "oh, hi!" but neither of us stopped.  We'll probably talk more on Saturday morning.

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I wore my iPod this morning (I didn't take it for my speedwork yesterday...I probably wouldn't have been able to hear anything with the wind whistling in my headphones).  I had two early albums by Seal (both named Seal - one from 1991 and the other from 1994) on in Shuffle mode.  I hadn't listened to these albums in a while so it was nice to hear them again.