A Night Fit for Runners

Week 11, Key Run #1: 5.7 miles in :44:54 min. @ 8:30 p.m.
Plan: 15 minute warm-up, 5 x 1k (400m RI), 10 minute cool-down
Weather: Rain Shower, 40°F, 88% Humidity, Wind: From SSE @ 11 mph; feels like 33°F.
Overall Pace: 7:56 min/mile
Course: Here and there.

Pre-Run Ruminations: Ah, the rarest of all training birds... the nighttime run. Though it used to be a personal favorite of mine, over the past few months the thought of going out into the wintry night air has left me a little... uh... cold. Tonight (after going to dinner with my wife and running to the grocery store for yogurt and dog food) I decided that tonight seemed as good a night as any to "get over it," even if it meant missing the first hour of The Biggest Loser.

Post-Run Reflections: I'm unsure if it was the fact that I was running at night rather than in the early morning, or if it was the designer pizza (with artichokes) I had eaten for dinner about an hour prior, or the fact the I am registered to compete in a five mile run this coming weekend, but it became clear to me about two miles in that this was NOT going to be a speed workout.

Fartleks were possible, but not probable... in fact, they would be u-g-l-y if attempted. So as a concession to the night spirits, I eased into a easy laboriously mediocre 5+ mail jaunt around the hood. In the end, though, there was a sense of accomplishment with just finishing.

Breathe in, breathe out... YOU AND I ARE ALIVE!