Running Outdoors

Beautiful morning for my first run outside this year.

Yep... First run outside this go-round.  I have been doing all of my running at 5:15 am on the treadmill in my living room, which is why I haven't written here... it's a treadmill run and there's not really much to talk about.  It's been feeling good.  I missed a couple of days last week because I had a cold, or allergies, or something, but I picked up right where I left off this week and didn't miss a beat.  

We are in Battle Creek for the weekend, so today's run was going to have to be outside, or I was going to have to go to Planet Fitness and use the treadmill there.  I didn't want to do that, and it was a beautiful morning (albeit chilly, at 35º and a little breezy) so I headed out in the lovely residential neighborhood that I'm staying in, and really, really enjoyed it. I saw more cars than I usually do in my own neighborhood (when I'm not in my living room) and went on some streets that I've never been on before, despite having grown up in the area.  

I ran a little faster and a little further than I have on the treadmill, which tells me that I am not pushing myelf as hard as I could when I'm running in my living room.  I had some great music and my cool down finished about 5 minutes from the house, so I had a little more time to cool and stretch than I do before work in the morning.  Plus, I stopped to visit with my mother- and father-in-law.  I was very happy with today's results.  My clothes even coordinated - which never happens at 5:15!  Tomorrow is Easter, which means a day of family time.  Looking forward to that.  Back to my early morning run on Tuesday, and I'm looking forward to that, too - but not quite as much as I'm looking forward to the time that it's light enough in the morning for me to go back outside!