Hail Mary Under the Stars, and Pancakes

I was craving a night run. It's been a long time since I got out and ran under a clear sky and the temperatures were reasonable enough not to freeze or worry about slipping on black ice. This winter we got more than our share of ice.

I took Iris for a walk earlier today, but Isabelle didn't want to go. It was cold and windy, and I froze my ass off. Today was one of those days where you just can't get it together, nothing falls into place easily, and by mid-afternoon I was frustrated and exhausted. I needed a nap, so I took one, and when I woke up at 5 pm, I realized I still had to get my run in.

I ate a ton of food today and wasn't all that hungry when Dennis came home, so I ate some salad and decided to do my run after dinner. I dressed in my night reflective gear and lights and headed out the door. Today we had blowing snow and sleet, but late in the day the sky cleared and the sun dried everything up, and it was 34 degrees. It felt colder because of the wind. I was bundled in layers and only my hands got cold.

I brought my tunes with me. I still haven't had time to play with my new iPod so it was the old MP3 again. I listened to some Armin Van Buuren trance compilations and the stars were out, the streetlights were on, and I headed down through the Warren Lake neighborhood and down Boardwalk to Lemay, down Hail Mary hill, past Fossil Creek Park, and turned around soon after that. The sky was clear and perfect night running conditions, and I felt great. I powered back up Hail Mary hill, which felt like nothing. Sometimes that hill kicks my butt, but not tonight.

I ran back through Warren Lake and around the park and up Lemay, traffic was light and the streets were quiet. I got 10 miles in and I could feel the salad in my stomach the whole time I ran, but when I got in the house, I was hungry again.

Iris came out of the bedroom to see what I was doing, because she sensed food. She can read my mind even when I'm thinking about food.

I made pancakes, something I haven't eaten in forever. Iris and I sat there in the kitchen and ate pancakes while Isabelle and Dennis slept upstairs. I used butter and maple syrup, decadent.

Now I'm going to bed. Hoping tomorrow will be a more productive day.