Morning Run & Class: 3/16

You'll have to forgive the tardiness of the next few posts.  I've gotten a bit behind in my blogging recently.  Last Wednesday was Hiroko's Birthday, so we both took the day off to celebrate together (insert Aaahhhh's **here**). 

I got up early and ran to the gym before Hiroko woke.  I enjoyed the run more than I can really explain, but I'll try.  Early morning before the sunrise is my favorite time of day, always has been.  One of my best memories from childhood is of a pre-dawn trip, my aunt took me on, to a local pre-Starbucks era coffee shop/cafe.  Being up and out before the sunrise always feels like stepping into an alternate reality, and the people that you see moving about are different, like members of a secret Illuminati-esque society.  They' re more aware of the people, who cross paths with them than people who keep regular hours and seem to be searching for a secret gesture or signal that indicates if you're part of their pre-dawn cabal.  Perhaps, it is just my over active imagination, who knows, but the point is that I really enjoy this time of day. 

And, I find my connection to this pre-dawn world is much stronger when walking, running, or on my bike rather than in my car.  Recently, I've shed my I-pod on my runs, so Wednesday's morning run just seemed to come alive much more than it ever has with, depending on my mood, Adam Lambert, Wolfmother, or Johnny Cash streaming into my ears.  Wednesday's morning's air was cool but still warm enough to wear short sleeves.  The feeling of the air on my skin mixed with the sounds of all the birds just beginning their day put me in a great frame of mind, which I needed because I've been struggling and letting frustrations from one aspect of my life bleed over into others.  Running's been the area of my life where the lines have held firm.  As I made my way to the gym, I listened to my breathing, the sounds of the city and my feet falling on the pavement, and began to long for my next run in Umstead.  I decided in that moment that my next run their would be a 7 miler, my longest distance to date.  By the time, I arrived at the gym the decision was set in my mind.

The workout class was Lisa's interval Sport's Conditioning where we do three exercise a 30 seconds, rest 10 seconds in between each one, then run back and forth across the gym, before moving on to the next set of exercises.  By the end of class, I was pouring sweat, but I wasn't exhausted to the point where I thought that the run home would be difficult.

The run home was a different than the run to the gym because t he sun was nearly up and the streets  more activity.  But, I was feeling really invigorated and looking forward to spending the day with Hiroko.   By the time I arrived at home, I felt awesome and was ready to cook Hiroko breakfast, and start the birthday festivities.


first run -- 1.65 15:02.77 9:07
1 9:29.95
.65 5:32.82

second run 1.63 15:12.21 9:19
1 9:30
.63 5:42.21