Okay, so this run did not start out exactly as I had planned or hoped for, however, I am SO glad that I continued with this run. Let me explain...
I decided to just go outside and run today because I didn't feel like driving to the gym to get on a treadmill for my run, plus I wanted to be able to get some good miles in, and being at the gym on a treadmill it is really hard to stay on a treadmill for that long. So, I bundled up, since it was only in the low to mid-30’s, and headed out for some fresh air a good run. I really wanted to run outside because the weather is supposed to get bad again, possibly starting late tonight and lasting through Wednesday, and I knew if we get the ice that they are calling for that I will not be running outside or at the gym. So…out the door I went.
The temperature was actually really good and I wasn’t too cold even at the start. I figured that I would just run 2 or 3 of the bigger laps around the block and call it good, as that should give me at least 7 miles or so. Well, after the first mile I knew that was not going to happen. The run started out all right, as I was running on the road, which was nice and clear (for the most part). Then right before the 1-mile mark, I usually get back on the sidewalk because it is a much busier road, and the road actually has a sidewalk. Not today! The first part of the sidewalk was clear, but then the rest was a mess. It was so bad that I had to stop running and walk to the end of the sidewalk, which luckily was only a couple hundred feet or so, but I was upset. Then I looked down at my watch to see where I was at for about the first mile and it said 11 minutes!! I couldn’t believe it. Had it really taken me 11 minutes to run 1 mile? For me, this is really slow, so I was really upset now. Why was it taking me so long today? At this point I was also walking, which wasn’t making it any better, and I honestly, thought about just stopping the run right then and there and just walking the rest of the way home!
But, I didn’t! Instead, I just turned up the next street (running on the road) and then branched off onto the next side street, which would take me back to the other road I was just on. I was like, “Okay, how can I make this run work?” Then it came to me, “Just run on the side streets!” So, that is what I did! Most of the side streets in the neighborhood don’t have sidewalks, so I didn’t have to worry about the ice and snow on them, and being side streets I feel much safer running on the road.
Now that I was just running on the side streets, I had NO idea how far I had gone, as the only mile marker I actually knew at this point was mile 1. I didn’t know how I was going to manage to get some good miles in with a limited running area. Then it hit me the second time down the original route I had planned. I would run up and down every side street that connected to that street, as well as, every side street that connected to my street. Luckily there were only side streets on one side of both of these streets! :) I figured this would not only help to get some miles in, but also make it so the run wouldn’t be so boring. I hate running the same street a bunch of times to get the miles in.
It worked! I got some major miles! Definitely more than I was planning on running today. I was going to be happy with 7 miles today, but I guess I have to be happy with 9.6 miles, since that is what I ended up running. I figured if I ran for an hour and a half, and remember, my first mile was around 11 minutes, so this is what I was going off of, should be pretty good. I didn’t figure out my miles until just a few minutes ago, when I mapped the whole run out!
I am SO happy with how this run turned out! I am happy with the miles I put in today. I felt pretty good throughout the run. And am so glad I didn’t just walk back home. I ended up with a nice pace for that distance and had a really good run. I definitely feel like I got some good hill work in as well. This route was a lot hillier than my other routes, which only have a few hills. This route was a lot of up and down, which makes me even happier with the mileage and pace for today’s run!
Average heart rate for today’s run was 155, even with all the hills! :)
Distance climbed---424 feet!
Oh, and, I had to slow down and stop a few times to wait for cars and trucks because of the crap that was still on the roads. I still can’t believe how inconsiderate people are to runners! I hope I was never that way before I was a runner!
Moral for today’s run: A bad run can end up turning into a great run, so just keep running!
Great way to zap that ZERO, start the week off, and end the month of January!
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