02/18/11: My old stompin' grounds

I ran this morning one of the routes I ran quite a bit this summer. Besides the new potholes here and there (gotta love winter), and a couple of new mailboxes (yep, that's how often I ran it this summer, I notice new mailboxes)...nothing has changed.

But, it still felt new....different.

I thought it was fitting that I run this route....since it's the route I ran when I first started running. And right now, having missed so much this winter, I feel as though I'm a new runner again.

Mentally, running doesn't feel new....but physically, I feel like I did then. 3 miles isn't "just" 3 miles anymore. Now it's "when the heck is this 3 miles going to be done already? I'm dyin' here!"

My new headlamp did make quite a difference though. There are very few, if any, streetlights along the route, and no sidewalks....so having light (more than the BEAUTIFUL full moon this morning) was quite nice!

But, it was cool enough that I could see my breath. And when that breath rises in front of the light from my headlamp, it's like driving my car in a serious fog. You can see nothing.

Ah, the joys of running outside. :-)

It's too cold for the rabbits to be running around in the tall grass spooking me out. And it's way too early for the country club employees to be showing up to work. That won't start for another month or so.....so I had the roads almost completely to myself.

The sky was clear, the air was crisp, I could see where I was going, and I was OUTSIDE running....with only my thoughts to keep my company. I could zone out to everything by the sounds of my breathing.

Therapeutic!!!!

My pace wasn't the best...but my back was starting to hurt, so I slowed down to keep from making it worse. I'm not out there to win a race, or a prize....I'm out there to be out there. To feel good, to stay healthy, to have fun. Period.

(3 miles, 11:05 overall average pace)