09/23/10 (5 mi hills, 10:49 pace)

Sat down at the computer last night before going to bed. I needed to find a new route for my morning runs. Something with sidewalks, good sidewalks....flat ones.

You know when you walk on a garden path, and there is green plant life growing up through all the cracks in the stones, and you think it's really pretty and rustic? Well...when running, those sidewalks are called crap. As in "Crap, is that really a sidewalk at all?"

And, if these sidewalks were along a street, with streetlamps, that would be even better. I've come to really appreciate being able to see where I'm going. :-)

After looking at the city maps for a while, I found one I thought would work. While running it this morning, more than once I found myself thinking "wow, I don't remember this hill being here."

It's amazing what you don't notice about the lay of the land while driving in a car. Hats off to the inventors of the automobile, that's all I have to say!! :-)

I pushed myself pretty hard on the uphills.

At the top of one of them I heard myself saying "You aren't going to puke, you aren't going to puke, you aren't going to puke......"

I didn't puke. Yay me!!

It's a good thing I run in the morning before people are up, or I'd get a reputation around the neighborhood for being that crazy lady who talks to herself while running.

They probably already think I'm the crazy lady, in all reality, I just don't want to add any more fuel to the fire if I can help it.

Although, it's probably an effective home defense system. Don't break into her house, she's ca-razy!

I also found myself repeating "I'm not going to die, I'm not going to die, I'm not going to die...." at the top of the final hill.

A bit over dramatic?

Probably.

But, you can't deny the effectiveness of the strategy...I mean, I'm still alive aren't I? :-)

At one point, early in the run, I physically had to stop running and wait for the deer to cross. There were a dozen of them (no kidding) running across the road six or so foot ahead of me....and I wasn't about to play my own version of Frogger with that bunch. No way!

It was almost 80 degrees this morning. 80 degrees? And, I didn't even want to know the humidity level...it probably would have made me cry.

Now, last I checked, it's nearly the end of September. We've been playing "red light, green light" with our air conditioner all week. Off one day, on the next. Mother Nature is experiencing some sort of Jekyll/Hyde syndrome...I'm just sure of it.

I think maybe we need to get her some Clozaril, Risperdol, or Zyprexa. Maybe one of each?

(no fear, I actually had to look those up, antipsychotics aren't my thing, I promise)