August 26 2007-- slept in

Robbie, my rot-dob mix is as lazy as me--loves watching tv. I videotaped him doing this for a whole discovery show on lions a few nights ago--it was great. When a commercial came on, he curled up on the floor and as soon as the show returned he perked up and watched, with his nose practically kissing the glass.
So, did I get up at 6 a.m.? Nope. Did I run this morning? Nope. I didn't get up until 11: 30 and, technically, I didn't even get up. I stayed on the couch watching Sleepless in Seattle (I actually had never seen that--Meg Ryan doesn't look like a mutant fish yet) and polishing more Lake Superior rocks until about 5. Then I cuddled with my dog for a while--my sweet 95 pound black Rotterman, who thinks he's only 5 pound and a lap dog. I eventually got up, as in off the couch,walked around my garden outside, and left the house for the first time for some Mc Donalds and, yup, another movie--since it was at a theater and not on my TV it felt like a little bit of exercise. I sneaked in my Golden Arches mint-mud frosty and my McNuggets and watched Stardust, feeling accomplished, feeling like I was finally doing something with my life today. Am I the healthiest runner or what?

Anyhow, we got out of the movie a little after 10 and I told Mark he was going to do me a favor tonight. "What?" he said, looking leery.
"You're going to drive around the city while I run my 5 miles."
"No. You can run tomorrow. I can't encourage this insanity."
Okay, so I guess I would have to turn the music up and try to forget all the imaginary rapist, muggers (who, of course, would steal my precious Garmen watch) and ax murderers lurking on each corner. The moon was amazingly huge and bright tonight. Seeing two other runners on our way home guided by the moonlight helped bolster my courage-- of course, they were guys and probably five times my size, but, whatever.

So here's the stats for tonight:
Distance: 3.34 miles
Average pace: 12 minutes (oh how embarassing--but here it is)
Best pace: 8:30
Slowest pace: 35 (wish I was patient enough to read the instruction manual for my Garmen--can't figure out what to do so it stops averaging in my stops (I wonder how actually being stopped and stretching counts as a 35 minute per mile pace?)
Stops: once after a mile and half to stretch-- did not linger though

Okay, so here's why I didn't go the planned 5 miles: After about 2 miles and after imagining all these murderes lurking in every dark spot on the sidewalk and cars that would jump over the curb and try to run me down, even w/ my I-Pod blaring out The Cult's "Here Comes the Rain", the screams from a nearby car made me jump-- I looked over and it was some dark blue car w/ a bunch of guys in it. Are you kidding me? What kind of idiot screams out the window at a sweaty, smelly girl trying to get her night run in. Anyhow, it shook me up. So I was shaking by mile 3--now I was feeling that good high just before my house and my mind had been made up to stop there after that scream and not tempt fate but then I really got that high kickin, that magic that makes problems into glorious adventures, and I talked myself into doing the whole 3 mile lap again--I ran past the house--a victory in itself--and got only .10 of a mile further when a huge cramping stitch ripped through my stomach and I felt sick, like I might puke. Oh, hello Minty Mud Frosty, another stitch on the other side. Hello McNuggets. I immediately started walking w/ both arms folded above my head--turned around and walked the rest of the way home.

What I learned from this run:
Yes, running in the dark is easier on my cardiovascular system.
I can run better and better the more I run (I wasn't nearly as out of breath as yesterday and didn't really stop like I did).
Never eat Mc D's before a run--even if it's a few hours before. Actually, I hardly ever do it anyway and I think I just never will again--esp after that puking feeling tonight, which brought up visions of Super Size me when the guy pukes after only the 3rd day of eating nothing but Golden Arches.
If I go to bed at 4, I can't get up to run at 6.

So, with that in mind, I'm going to try and sleep. Oh, yeah, don't want to forget. There is a 10K up north on Sept. 22-- a trail race and, even better, it's through the vineyards and wine tasting afterward!