Well, I set the alarm for 5:30 am so I could get up to run while it was still cool-ish out, but it was storming so I stayed in bed a little longer.  I did get up and out the door at 8:00.  Boy was I in for a shock when I stepped outside!  The air was on in the house, so it was quite cool inside, and I was fully aware that it was 75 degrees outside.  What I wasn't prepared for was the humidity.  Why didn't I think of that? It HAD just rained, after all!  It was like stepping into a sauna.  My glasses steamed up and it felt momentarily oppressive.  I stepped back inside to announce that it was "sweltering" out there, then headed back outside.

It turned out to be not so bad.  I mean, it was a little hard to breathe, but I persevered and actually matched my fastest speed, to date.  It helped that today was an exceptionally short run - only 30 minutes.  It may also have helped that there was another woman out there running.  I've never seen her before and don't know where, in the neighborhood, she lives, but our paths crossed twice and there was no way I was going to let her look like she was moving along faster than me!  I'm just a little competitive!  It was nice to see someone else out there doing the same thing as me, and we exchanged pleasantries both times that we saw each other.  

Not a new tattoo, but it means even
more, today!

About a mile into my run it started thundering again.  I was thinking of it as a crowd of fans clapping for me as I zoomed by on my Brooks branded go-fasters. Well, maybe I didn't exactly zoom, but I was keeping an eye on my pace and felt really good about it.  Then it started raining.  Not much - and certainly not enough to cool me off, but it felt kind of good to run in the rain.  There were quite a few people around. I guess 8:00 is the popular time to go to work.  

I got home and my husband left for a long bike ride and when he gets back we are celebrating my 5 year cancerversary and meeting up with friends later tonight (did that last night, too).  I am thrilled to say that I'm officially no longer a cancer patient!  Five years ago I had no idea what the future held - today I'm preparing to run the Detroit Free Press/Talmer Bank International Half Marathon! Yay me!

It's a most spectacular day!

Yes, It's perfect!


Today, I got up at 6:15, and since I still didn't get a Metro Park permit, decided to just go "run" in my neighborhood.  It was wonderful!  I felt great.  My pace was not as fast as Friday - which is funny, because I realized half-way through that I should have gone to the bathroom before I headed out and I would have thought that would make me run a little faster!  Regardless, there were amazing post-storm clouds in the sky as the sun was rising and it was about 70 degrees with a little breeze.  Music was great - starting out with Queen V and then Joan Jett.  I wore one of my favorite t-shirts that  says "Screw Cancer" on the front and while I was out there reflected on the fact that 4 years ago today I was in the hospital having a large abdominal tumor removed and learning that I had cancer!  I couldn't have felt better this morning!


Just like on workdays, I didn't see anybody else out at that time of morning.  Just me, the robins (who were joyfully chirping) a bunny in a neighbor's yard, and the cat that gives me the dirty looks when I use his street - and even he didn't seem so grumpy this morning (I hope that didn't have anything to do with the feathers that I saw not too far from where he was hanging out).  When I got done with my 2 miles, I went home and got Roxie, our 100 lb. mutt, and we walked for another mile.  Later, we went out for breakfast and drove the route for the Detroit Free Press 5K to see what it was like.


I am so appreciative of all that I have.  Now cancer-free, I have the most wonderful husband and family, amazing friends (many of whom I spent yesterday evening with while watching a mildly ferocious storm with the biggest hail I've ever seen) and still another day off on this long holiday weekend.  I couldn't ask for more!  Later today I'm off to buy my Metro Park pass so I can run there tomorrow morning, then go back to work for a short week.


Today's run weather: 70 degrees, pretty humid, slightly breezy, and beautiful at 6:15 am (on a Sunday!)