Friday, March 25, 2011

outside > the gym

Last night's run was up for debate:  outside (cool - 36, cloudy) or the gym (hot - 70, sweaty).  It seems as though I cannot get past three miles on a treadmill these days so the debate in my head really only lasted about 30sec.  Running outside totally won without too much waffling. 

My car temp said it was 39 so I headed out the door with capris, a t-shirt with a fleece over it and a cotton ear/hair band on.  No gloves.  Whoops.  Turns out it was only about 36 and there was more wind than I'd figured on.  My hands were frrrrrrrozen! 

The next debate was:  tack on the extra .3mi or take the short cut.  Again, this was debated for only about 30sec as I realized that if I don't take the long way around, I feel like I totally skimped out on my run.  It's hard for me to take the shortcut these days...has been for the past year and a half.  I only short cut it when I'm walking.  So running around the office park won, again without too much waffling.

As I got to the pretty side of the lake, I realized again how much I love spring.  The grass was turning green.  The water was calm.  The birds were chirping.  The kids were outside playing.  It's one of my favorite seasons...just for the new growth and new life popping up all around.  I can't wait for more colors to start arriving and for the smell of newly budded trees and flowers to fill the air.  (My heartfelt apologies to those of you who suffer from seasonal allergies...)

Just as I was finishing out my 6.6miles (with a time of 1:01:13 or 9:13min/miles) I looked over my shoulder to see giant dark stormy clouds.  Turns out some neighborhoods got hail, some got rain and Wakefield got snow.  Glad I got my run in and done before that started!  Great timing for sure.  (Even if I'd gotten caught in it, I still wouldn't have wished I was at the gym!!)

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