Look Both Ways

I woke up way before my human alarm (aka: Aaron) and could only think the following: When I'm looking forward to the day as a whole, why is it always so difficult to get out of bed in the first place? It's a question for the ages, isn't it? Figuring that out was going to take more time than I had this morning, so once Aaron came in to wake me up and I got my grumblies out, I hit the road!

It was too hot to take Elly, so I chose a route I can't run with her ... and one that holds promise of some cha-ching! I wondered how I was going to feel today after mixing up the ol' routine this weekend. I assumed I'd be a little stiff and not as mentally ready to run. I was (as usual) totally wrong! I felt strong, and I was totally ready to rock this run! I guess mixing it up did me a world of good!

I ran with the theme (no pun intended, but that was crafty) and at the half-way point, instead of simply turning around and going back, I headed to the other side of the street. You would be amazed at how simply crossing the street makes a world of difference along what has become a very familiar route!

You don't know I'm on the other side. But
I am. And, it's awesome.

Not only did crossing the street help me change it up, but, it was also the shadier side! (Hey, remember that scene in Father of the Bride 2 when Nina and George just learn she's pregnant, and they're driving away from the doctor's office with Nina seeing lovely scenes of parents and children on the sunny side of the street while George sees terror-inducing kids on the shady side? I love that scene.) Anyway, the shade made the trash bag obstacle course portion of the route totally worth it! Along the way, I pondered how much it would suck to trip over one of those bags and either twist an ankle or fall into traffic. Then I found a nickel right in the street. After waiting for cars to pass, I reached out and got it. I resumed running and spent time wondering if life insurance would've paid out if I'd fallen into traffic from reaching for a nickel. "I'm sorry, sir, but you can't collect because she died being stupid."

And, that's why you look both ways before crossing a street or before picking up the riches you discover on it.

Clearly, I heed my own advice because I'm here to report that side of the street was full of ba-da-bing! I'd already found a penny in the first half mile in the sun; on the shady side, I found 17 more cents!

Sometimes, they try and outsmart me by
using camouflage. An amateur ploy.

This side of the street is also where the sprinkler system lives!
I tried to benefit from it, but they were too far away. I felt a
total of four drops ... but they were four good drops! When it's
that hot, anything is a gift!

No sooner did I enjoy my drops did I look
down to see that dime right there!

Running Pays. Thank you shady street!

Let's not forget the pretties along the way:

One little spot of color amidst a whole
bunch of dried out stuff.

Okay, when I plan a route in the particular direction of today's, the end of it always stinks because it's up hill.

The stretch is 300 steps of pain. Here you
only see half of them as the camera does
not take pics around the corner. Who needs
to see that much pain anyway?

I hate this part, but today it wasn't half as bad as usual (note I did not say it was good; I said it wasn't half as bad). I'm certain that's a result of a combination of rest and continued hard-working of the ol' muscles. Mixing it up is paying off, but I don't yet have a good handle on the best formula for it all. Some of what I've added is routine, and then I add the extra (like the cherry on the icing on the cake ... ooo ... cake ... cold cake is delicious. I don't like cherries though. Just sayin'.). This loose system is working well right now, so my focus is to keep it loose but consistent (consisent = key)because the more I do, the more I'm wanting to do. That's new for me, and I like it!

I also like the end-of-the-run routine when I come home and immediately go to the sitting spot with Aaron and the pooch. We weren't there too long today because it was so thick out there, but we were there long enough for some love:

Tomorrow's Total Rest Day! Yahoo!! See you then!