A Brisk Sunday Run

Yesterday I was in a Syosset, NY hotel using the deadmill. I say that because the thing was well used and just a horrible experience on many levels. The worst part was the exercise room is right next to the breakfast room, so while I was running a creepy guy was watching me run.

Or should I say, he was watching my chest run. EWWWW!

After a mile on the mill with creepy guy watching through the window, I decided to drop down to a walk - but I wanted to run so badly that I gave up after logging 2 miles.

Today, I'm home again it was time for the local elementary school 5K fun run/walk. Because I wrote about in the paper, I felt I had an obligation to run in spite of the temperatures in the mid-40's. Because I'm an idiot, I wore my running skirt instead of pants - so when I wasn't running, I was cold. I also gratefully took the long-sleeved t shirt they offered and wore it over my long sleeve tech shirt... a move I regretted about half way through.

There were around 100 of us - which is the biggest group they've ever had. We started off running past the playground and soccer fields, making a u-turn to run up the other side of the road before heading off into a winding path through residential side streets. At the first mile, someone was calling out splits - which was nice. I once again found myself going out a little fast - 11:36 - and knew if I didn't slow down, I'd pay later. I had my chance a few hundred yards later when I got to the first water stop and walked through.

I kept winding along through the streets, wondering where the second mile was. At the second water stop it turned out we were well over 2 miles in. The girl didn't understand the question of "How far are we." She was telling me to keep going because I was almost done. The boy with the trash got it, he was a runner, and said I was just shy of three miles!!

At the end of the stree, by the school were a crowd of folks I knew who had run or volunteered for the day cheering for me. It was nice to come into that encouragement. I know it was a slow race - 40 and change - but that's fine. I ran it on a day I didn't want to run. I also ran it after a half hour of doing yoga with the Baptiste DVD before walking a mile home from the school.

It was a good run. A good run on a brisk Sunday morning on a sunny day... and sometimes it just doesn't get too much better than that.