new things

I'm not one for trying new things.  I'm a big fan of things that I know I like.  Case in point:  Last week a friend and I met up for our usual once-a-month hang out.  I thought it *might* be fun to try a new restaurant.  But when the day came, I called my friend and said, "Let's just go to WCB, we know what we like there...it's just easier."  So that's what we did.  And it was great, as usual.

I have gotten into a rut with the running routes that I choose to take.  I take the ones that I know.  They are great - I know the elevation, I know the mileage - down to the tenth of a mile, I know the cracks in the sidewalk!  Sooner or later, I always end up down by the lake.  I know I like it, and it's so easy.

But this past weekend, I had a friend coming to run with me.  We were going to stick with 8mi so I had to map out a route that we could take.  I didn't feel like doing an out and back, I didn't feel like just running around the lake twice.  So I branched out and came up with a new route on gmap-pedometer.  I came up with a route that would take us through parts of Wakefield I'd never even driven through.

As we headed out, I kept repeating the names of the streets, sure that I would forget a turn and we'd end up running 13mi or something.  Fortunately, I remembered where to go (and which way to turn at each street).  The thing about running a new route is that you don't always know what you're going to get.  Could be super hilly, there could be no sidewalks, you may encounter big, loud dogs.  Never know.

We found out that the course I'd mapped out was actually really good!  No surprising giant hills, sidewalks for most of it, and no crazy dogs.  I was very pleased with the run and the route overall that day.  (So much so that I ran most of that route again yesterday...and threw in a lake loop at the end of it.  Old habits die hard.)

I guess the life lesson for me here is that trying new things is not a bad thing.  If I let fear of the unknown hold me back, I could be missing out on some really great things.  To that end, I'm trying something new again tonight.

A while back I purchased a Groupon for an EdgeFit class package at a gym near my house.  Since I ran 18mi in the last two days, I decided today might be the perfect day for cross-training - and to check out these EdgeFit classes.

Branching out, trying something new.  Here goes...