Wednesday run: 7-8 miles
Saturday run: 6 miles
I mixed up Wednesday’s run a little bit by varying my incline and pace with each mile. I would basically run one mile at 7.1 mph at 5% incline with 7.8 mph at 1.5% incline. It was sorta fun doing it that way, because whenever I put the incline back down, I felt like I was flying. This morning’s run was a total daze since I had to fit in before the start of my 12 hour ED shift at 8. I had high aspirations of doing more than 6 miles (like 12), but I was clearly being over ambitious and unrealistic the night before when I came up with that brilliant plan I can’t just get up and immediately start running. I feel like I need at least a half hour to wake up and have coffee before my mind and body can function properly. By the time I did that, there was no way I was going to fit 12 miles in.
For those morning runners, how much time do you need from the time you get up until the time you run? Do you just get up and go or do you have coffee and/or wake a up a little first? Do you eat before you run in the morning? I usually do if I’m heading out for a long run (>~13 miles) or running later in the morning, but typically not if I’m running at five in the morning and/or rushed for time.
When I got back upstairs to my apartment, I had a little time to appreciate the morning sunrise, which I just love. Such a peaceful time of day that I especially appreciate on days when I’m heading into the ED:
Sun just starting to rise.
Dean got back in town yesterday, which means no more biking to work for me in the morning in crazy weather! To celebrate his being back in town (yes, 4.5 days was a long time for us ; ), he picked me up at work and we went to our favorite little Chicago wine and food bar: Rootstalk.
Definitely glad I’m not vegan. This meat and cheese dish was delish! Now, I’m not dissing veganism and I actually love vegan food, but I also love my meat and cheese too much!
Incredibly awkward picture: Backstreet Boys “I want it that way” came on on our way to Rootstalk, and I got super excited and started singing along with my imaginary microphone cause I haven’t heard that song in years. Please tell me that’s a perfectly normal thing to do when BSB comes on the radio….no? What? ha.
Those city pictures are gorgeous! I def need TIME before I run. Unless I am running a race, I will almost always run in the early afternoon. I need my coffee, my morning movements, a good meal, and some time to wake my legs up. Races I don’t have much of a choice, and I am not waking up at 5am just to make coffee. That’s a lie..sometimes I do! HA!
Lately, I actually have been preferring running at night, because I hate having my mornings feel rushed and I prefer when I can to have time to slowly wake up.
If I run in the morning I need at least a half hour to wake up, eat something small and drink some coffee. If I run early I typically don’t eat much.
I roll out of bed, drink a glass of water, brush my teeth, go to the bathroom, get changed, and head out the door… usually I’m running within 10-15 minutes of waking up. For whatever reason, the prospect of having more free time AFTER the run is such a strong lure for me to get out there ASAP. Buuuut I’m a student and only work part-time, so certain days are a little more flexible and I’ll lounge around for an hour or so drinking tea before heading out.
Totally unrelated: What’s the story behind that photo of the red trees on your sidebar? Maybe I’m hallucinating, but I swear I’ve seen it before… or maybe a shot like it… have you submitted it to something? I love it!
10-15 minutes? Impressive. I’m such a slug in the morning.
About the trees on the sidebar. Thanks! I haven’t submitted it for anything, but maybe you saw someone else’s picture of it? It’s a pic I took of these painted trees in Chicago. I have a color accenting feature on my camera that allows you to bring out certain colors and make everything else gray tones.