Shorter Days

Already I can tell the days are getting shorter which is kind of depressing.  I've been enjoying the 5.30 run and track work as it is so peaceful at that time and I love the sun just coming up.  I also really like getting the run in before work -- starts the day off nice (once I manage to actually get out of bed!) so I'm trying to figure out what to do in the fall and winter.  Last year I went to the track but that is fine for interval work but boring as heck for just running.  I may break down and join a gym to use the treadmill but me and treadmills have never had successful relationships in the past and not sure how I'll manage that (I can hardly stay on -- balance issues I guess).

Also, I think that running in the dark at 5.30 am is less scary than running in the dark at 7 or 8pm. Not scary like people are going to attack me but scary like I might get hit by a car.  No one is really out at 5.30 so it does seem doable.  And I did run into a woman at the track this morning who said she runs there throughout the winter.  It is the high school track so no lights but she says they all manage.  So that is cool.

I'm already starting to miss the sun though.  Pathetic.

I switched out Tempo Tuesday for Track Tuesday this week since I'm headed down to San Diego tomorrow and figured it would be more fun to find a 6 mi run to do down there instead of just finding a track somewhere.  It went fine but I was a bit sluggish today.  The schedule said 3x1600 which just sounded long and dreadful.  I have decided that I need to take a full 20 min warm up -- I've usually been just warming up for 10 mins and roughly one mile.  But that just isn't enough -- on the first set I was way off the target time, second got a bit better and I hit it on the third.  So clearly it takes this creaky body a bit to warm up.  I almost did a 4th set just to make the time twice but I had to get back -- darn job expects me to show up every day.

A little trick that I just figured out with Map My Run is the search feature which is super useful when travelling to another area.  I just put in San Diego, CA and then looked through all the runs to find one close where I was staying and around 6 miles.  I think I've settled on this one.  I'll have to check it out when I get down there - but it might be fun to even go out to Harbor Island. So we'll see.

One day I'll actually add pictures.  I love it when everyone else does.