My mom asked me the other night when we spoke on the phone, “when are you going to write on the internet so I know what’s going on?” 🙂 So, Mom, this one’s for you…
Here’s what today looked like (and given how early I got up, I’m going to bed very soon. I’m exhausted.)
3:30 – start waking up before the alarm. No, I’m not a fan of that. Felt awake.
4 a.m. – alarm goes off. Now, I’m tired. Hit snooze.
4:10 a.m. Ok, time to get my ass out of bed, without waking up Bill, or Callie the cat, who I cover up with my fleece bathrobe since Bill likes to keep the room very cold. Good sleeping weather, he says.
Next hour – eat breakfast, wake up with an infusion of caffeine. Feed Ruthie, who’s sleepy. Pack lunch.
5:10 a.m. – Get Ruthie ready for a walk. She hears the rumbling of plastic grocery store bags,which we call “poop bags” and she goes insane.
Get back from our short walk about 5:30. Bill’s just coming downstairs and can’t believe we’ve already gone. By the way, there are some people already leaving for work by this time, I found. I had my headlamp on my head to see exactly where she did her “business.”
5:45ish, getting ready for my own run. Talk to Bill, drink more water and head out finally around 6 after doing a bit of stretching and taking some Sports Beans with Caffeine.
Run for 4.59 miles. All of my miles were under 10 minute pace (phew, I was beginning to feel like I couldn’t do it anymore. I’ve been doing a lot of “easy” running in the heat and humidity we’ve had of late.) I didn’t see any triathletes swimming in Silver Lake this morning but I did see some beautiful sights. It was a lot cooler this morning than it has been. Only about 53 degrees so I actually pulled out my arm warmers. In August!!Â
At the beginning of my run, I found myself crying. From stress, exhaustion, or exhilaration at being able to get out there and run in such cool weather, for taking time out for “me,” or from a combination of all those things, I am not sure what caused it. I am sure, however, that anyone driving by probably thought I was either a nut or hurt (if they could think coherently that early), but I didn’t really care. That doesn’t happen often but when it does, I know I have some things to work through and a run is a good way to do so. I was listening to this song on my iPod, Falling by Mindy Smith. I think she has an awesome voice. Very mellow.
We have a lot of wetlands and marshes in my area. It was cool enough that the water in the closest wetland on Rte. 129 had some fog/mist rising from the water. I know that it’s invasive, but the purple lupine weed does look really pretty in the mornings.
When I ran past Silver Lake, the sun was hitting it “just so.” The water had a goldish glow to it, and the sun hit one of the docks and the house behind it in a way that made it look like a painting. I should say that one dock in particular has actually been converted into a floating bar. My husband, Bill, keeps wondering aloud what he can do to be able to take a ride on it one night. It’s been out on the water in the daytime and at night in the dark. It just yells “summer and relaxation” to me every time I see it. I automatically feel more relaxed.  Anyway, it was at about this time that I realized my legs just continued to feel strong today the whole run through.
We are extremely busy at work as our LLM students have already arrived. LLMs are foreign-trained lawyers who come to our school for a Masters in law. Igave two tours which are an hour long, and met with a student in between. So I talked basically nonstop for about 3 hours. Because our library is so large, it really does take a while to get through it, and many students commented that it is really unlike anything they’ve ever seen. And it is.
Anyway, the student with whom I met in between is one I hope to meet with several times over the course of the year. This is somewhat rare, but always appreciated. She gave me a thank you card for meeting with her and said how wonderful it was to have a reference librarian with subject expertise meet with her. I don’t know if I’m an expert in much, but it was nice just the same. I keep all cards like that one with me in my office, taped or attached to my wall. I keep them from faculty and from students and coworkers alike. That way when I am having a bad or really long day, I look at the notes and it reminds me why I do what I do. I really needed something like that.
So all in all, today was a good day. It’s funny but when I first drove into work, I thought to myself, “well, even if the rest of the day turns all to hell, at least I have this morning under my belt.”
Here’s hoping the rest of you reading this out there have a workout or run again soon where it makes you feel the same way. Glad to be alive and have two legs that can propel you forward and through so much, not just the physical, but also the mental part of life.
Thanks for reading.
August 27, 2009 at 11:08 pm
That’s an early, early start Teri… But you’re so right on the “at least I have this under my belt”. We’ve talked about that before, but somehow having that good run knocked out makes the rest of the day feel better. Especially at this busy and hectic time of year.
Deena Kastor just posted on her site a similar thought to what you said, “it doesn’t matter how fast you’re moving, as long as you’re moving forward.” Some days, I feel like I’m doing good if I’m just FACING forward!
August 28, 2009 at 12:45 pm
Yes, it was super early. I know you run really early sometimes too. Our Ruthie was so pooped last night, having woken up at 4ish with me. And thanks for the mention about Deena Kastor – I can’t believe I’m on the same wavelength as someone like her!
August 28, 2009 at 8:23 pm
Isn’t it amazing how excited dogs can get even just for a quick walk? I feel like it always puts things into perspective for me when I’m dreading a certain workout. I think about how excited my dog used to get just to be able to get moving!
I wish I was better at morning running because I really do love facing the day with the knowledge that even if the rest of the day is a complete disaster, at least I got a run in that morning. You have inspired me 🙂 I’m going to start trying once again to get up early to get my runs in!
September 3, 2009 at 10:40 pm
Hey irish, I tried to email you the other night, to the email you usually use when you comment, and it came back, which I then realized was because it was your old work email. can you drop me another comment with your personal email address?
I’m glad to have inspired you – you may not know it but one of your posts last year about marathoning really helped me out, and I still remember a lot of it to this day.
August 28, 2009 at 9:45 pm
Terri – first as a parent myself I think that is so great that you have that kind of relationship with your mom that you are comfortable with her reading your blog posts! (Or maybe she’s your stalker?) I have one son that is the same. Now the other two kids – they won’t even friend me on Facebook!
I’m more of an evening runner. I look at it like “As bad as my day was today, at least my run will make it better!”
And thanks for the supportive comments and tweets. They *really* do help. I’m in a bit of a mental funk right now that I’m trying to work myself out of.
And yes – 2 years ago I was a svelte 260 pounds. I relly miss the little shelf I used to have on the top of my stomach . There’s no where to rest the fast food anymore while I’m driving….
September 3, 2009 at 10:41 pm
“my mom is my stalker” – I love it! Yep, she tells me she checks my site often to see what’s going on, even though she and I talk pretty regularly. I think it’s because she knows I talk about things on here that I might not want to talk about “aloud”if that makes any sense.
By the way, I hope you are having a good time hiking and camping this weekend. And I’m glad the tweets and comments do help. Ditto back to you!
August 30, 2009 at 10:48 am
Those kind of therapuetic runs early in the a.m. are the best, aren’t they? All that stress has to go somewhere and it might as well spill out in sweat and tears instead of staying curled up inside like a ball of nails. I see many more cards of thanks in your future, Terri.
September 3, 2009 at 10:36 pm
Anne, I think you put it very well. I think I’d probably have an ulcer by now if it weren’t for running. I really do appreciate all of those cards I receive from everyone. They’re my “wall of positive reinforcement.”
August 30, 2009 at 10:29 pm
i love waking up before the alarm, what are you talking about? 😉 i so know that feeling when the alarm goes off for real and you are dead tired again! not cool.
i am one of those crazy people who leaves for work at 5:30… ugh. only for another week! yippi. then i get to leave for work at 6! whoaaa, i know. that 1/2 hour, makes a huge difference. it also means i will be getting home a 1/2 hour later, boo.
glad you were able to get in a good run and just drift off into your thoughts. that is what i like best about running – when it’s truly a release! unfortunately i don’t think i’ve had much of that lately because i think i’m still putting too much pressure on myself mentally. workin’ on it, as always.
here’s to a happy last-week of august for you!
September 3, 2009 at 10:35 pm
You know, it’s oddly calming being out there that early but it can also be so damn hard to get out of bed some mornings. especially toward the end of the week. i’m glad you can sleep in soon but ugh that sucks to leave work later too!
September 1, 2009 at 2:58 am
3:30 a.m.?!?! I am in awe of you.
September 1, 2009 at 5:55 am
yeah, 3:30 was not exactly a good thing…..;-) that was a bit early even for me!
September 3, 2009 at 2:44 pm
Wow sounds like you are getting an early start these days. I am always up around then too, not running though! LOL The weather has been great! Thanks for coming up to visit. Ben loved to see Aunt Terri and Uncle Bill. (Guess where he is now? Yup, the swing). Hopefully we will get down soon because we want to meet Ruthie!!