Run, Forrest Run!

I went for a four mile jog this morning. Outside. The outside part might seem redundant when paired with the jog part, but in reality when I run more than three miles it is usually in the gym on the treadmill. Where it is safe, and the ground is level, and there are no dogs or traffic or busted ass curbs lurking around every corner.

I ran three miles (outside) Wednesday and nearly stroked out, so my hopes for this morning were less than high. But the run was actually awesome and post-run my body feels great. No foot pain, knee clicks or prat falls into the gutter. Sweet.

It was kind of gray out when I left, so I wore my running jacket which has a reflective stripe on it. It's not quite one of these...... but close enough. And because it was gloomy and I hate being out in the rain, I also had on a ball cap and crinkly jogging pants. Not exactly like an old school "wind suit" but crinkly enough to go CRINK CRINK CRINK with every step. You know, kind of like if your granny was out for a jog, that would be me.

I maintained my semi-geriatric pace of a 12-minute +/- mile for the whole run, which was my goal, so yay for me. I was almost home, frumpily jogging along the sidewalk in my reflective gear, when this really cute woman runs by, passing me as if I were using a walker, and just totally ruined by whole yay me moment. She was dressed all in black (SO NOT SAFE) and running in the middle of the street (AGAIN WITH THE NOT SAFE) like she owned it, and did I mention she blew past me like I was running backwards? This isn't her...

... but close enough.

I came home, and I was all, like, shit, I thought I was so cool and I am so not cool, and I immediately lit all of my safe reflective crinkly running gear on fire and vowed to only run in sleek black tights evermore. OK, not really, but metaphorically.

I think the key to today's run being more successful than Wednesday was that Wednesday I left home and went south, which is downhill to the river, then is a tortuous uphill climb after running 2.5 miles. So today I headed north, loping through the neighborhood, which was a tortuous uphill climb for the first two miles, but than a downhill trot for the last two, which felt much better. I know this might seem like totally DUH! but it didn't occur to me until today that going uphill in the beginning as opposed to at the end would actually matter.

To wrap up this riveting run report, a photo of my running injury. I bought a new sports bra that chafes. I've already learned this lesson TWICE and off to Goodwill was the decision for the bra, being that it's brand new and was worn twice. Of course I needed to wash it before it went into the Goodwill pile, and it ended up back in my dresser and I wore the fucker again. My own stupid fault, but OW.

Bra is in the garbage can now. And, OK, just uploaded the picture and it doesn't look like much, but I swear this is way worse than the photo shows and I am not being overly dramatic about it at all. Swear. Also, I do not have a double chin (anymore) as one might surmise from this photo. Swear.