What I Learned Today

Well, I did my first run since the ones I did on my vacation and it was really tough and rewarding at the same time.  Here are a few things I learned…

• When it’s 45 degrees outside, dress accordingly.  I had put on a long sleeve tech shirt and a t-shirt over that and shorts… stepped outside and went back in immediately to switch from shorts to full length jogging pants.  However, this was at home… I didn’t do my run until I got to work… so I didn’t have what I also needed:  gloves to cover my freezing hands and goggles to protect my eyes from the wind (as it is much too dark that early in the morning for my sunglasses though I did use them today).
• Your brain will trick you into doing a longer jog than you planned.  I had been doing 3.8 mile runs and was kinda getting into that groove, but I had recently done two 5 mile runs during my vacation.  My brain tricked me by making me take out my security badge at my desk before my run (when I usually have it with me so I can get back in the building afterwards).  At the 2.5 mile mark (yeah, my brain remembered where that was), I realized I didn’t have my security badge and I was thoroughly convinced by my conniving brain that I had somehow dropped it somewhere along the way.  So instead of finishing out my usual 3.8 mile run, I had to turn around and go back the way I came to look for my badge.  Thus, I completed a 5 mile run and found my badge at my desk when my co-worker let me back in the building.
• Even towards the end of 5 miles, I realized I could’ve kept on running… it was not my fastest pace by a longshot, but it was a consistent pace that allowed me to go the distance without becoming too exhausted.
• Doing three hours of yardwork the previous day has no detrimental impact to doing a run the following day.  Though I did have some sore thigh muscles from all the raking and bending over, those kinks worked themselves into the background within minutes of starting my run.
• If I can handle a 5 mile run at 45 degrees, the 5K on Thanksgiving is going to be a breeze for me.