Feelin' Stronger Every Day ... Yeah! Yeah! Yeah!

(Thank you, Chicago, for the post title. I know the song has nothing to do with running, but that doesn't stop it from going through my head a lot when I'm out there!)

Awwwww, man!! I just updated my Running By the Numbers and see I've again surpassed the money with the miles. MAN! Now is SO the time to find a quarter, don't you think?!?

Yay for pennies! Oh my ... It looks like I should collect them
for some new shoes!

Well, whatever, money or not, there were miles to run!

For whatever reason, I hardly ever sleep well the night before a weekend run. I think it's that same thing that doesn't let me sleep well before an official run -- nerves of some sort. Race nerves have a lot to do with (a) fear of oversleeping and missing the start, and (b) excitement. My home nerves have more to do with not wanting the alarm to go off longer than necessary; I don't want to wake up the house. That, and I often have that "let's just get this overwith and move on with the day" feeling!

It was a fabulous 59 degrees and (bonus) overcast morning -- pretty perfect for most runners (even those of us who prefer the cold)! I actually managed to remember to fuel up before heading out:

Half of a banana is perfect before a run!

I also took 4 grapes to prevent depletion, and I took my water bottle just in case. Neither are staples of a 7-mile run especially when it didn't seem like it was too hot, but I figured it wouldn't hurt. No need to power through something when I can throw something in my pocket and prevent an issue.

I have to report that the latest adventure in resistance training really made a difference today in many ways. First, stretching out well was required. I should stretch anyway, but right now, my muscles are making themselves known, and they're a bit tight when I wake up. Second, during the first mile when I'm usually settling into my pace, my legs were already on fire -- But, in a good way! If the muscles could speak (and, when going far enough, you know I'll imagine just about anything!), mine would have said, "Hey ... this feels pretty cool! It's like we're totally engaged and doing what we're supposed to be doing, so let's dig in and doooo it! Hut! Hut! Hut! Hut!" (I guess they got military on me at the end there.) In all seriousness, it is already clear to me that working on strengthening my muscles is going to pay off. I just can't wait to see to what degree! (And, side note: I'm not sorry I didn't start sooner. At all.)

The run itself was pretty uneventful which is always a good thing. Oh, except for when the car that I thought was going straight actually turned left right in front of me without using a turn signal. That was sweet, but, fortunately, uneventful.

Along the way, I saw a bunny ...

So cute when they're not eating my garden ...

... and, a wicked cool weed!

Man, if you're going to be a weed, this is
a fabulous one to be! I would think you'd
have less of a chance of being yanked out
in disgust and annoyance by presenting
yourself in this fashion!

And, check this out ... at exactly the point I was turning around in my route (a little beyond half way), this was on the sidewalk. And, so, I obeyed:

No need to tell me twice. I don't even care the reason. I'm
running, I was told to stop. Well ... okay ...

In other most-excellent uneventful moments, I did not get caught in the rain. It often looked a possibility, but, it never happened. Hooray!

I spent that last mile home thinking about the fact that for the past two years around this weekend, I've run in a 10K annual event around here. It didn't work out to do so today, which was totally fine, but I was remembering my participation last year because it was on a very out-of-the-blue hot and humid morning (and how that sucked) vs. what this morning's participants got. Lucky ducks! Oh well. Last year's shirt for the event was super-ugly, too, and I just don't need one more ugly shirt to crank about here, now, do I?

I did purposely design this weekend to be a 7-miler for me, though. It might have bothered me to not do the event only to run the same miles at home! (So, I see your ugly shirt, and I raise you a mile ...)

Speaking of ugly, CHECK OUT MY POST-RUN HAIR!

What is THAT about?! Lately, my bangs have gone HAYWIRE after a run! I never know what's going to happen to them, and it's become very entertaining!

Next on the agenda includes scouring two new magazines I bought today! This:

And, this:

I spent hours last night combing through different blogs and websites for new recipes (which succeeded in making me really hungry) and resistance training information (which was both tiring and inspiring!). While very useful, I really like magazines and don't want to go all electronic with my reads!! So, I actually paid news stand prices (*gulp!* I never do that!), but I wanted to go through them and see if another subscription is necessary. Never fear, most beloved Runner's World magazine ... I just renewed you for two more years! I'm pretty stoked with what I've seen so far in these. Expect some reviews!

Tomorrow is a FULL Rest Day ... wahoo!! (I'm totally not calling Fridays Rest Days anymore now that resistance training messed that up!) See you then!