What I Meant vs. What I Did

Today’s Numbers: Nancy's Days Run: 15 Nancy's 2013 Mileage: 40.8 Elly's 2013 Mileage: 27.5 Money Found For Food Bank: $7.51

The first steps of the first mile today were painful like something was pounding on my cheeks. That pounding came from Old Man Winter wanting a little respect for the heads up I received about this morning's weather -- the warning I chose to try and negotiate. Yes, I heard there was a -10 wind chill out there, so I compromised my original 3-ish mile plan into a 1-mile-then-clean-the-house (aka: cross training) one. I also decided not to bring Elly because not only was it nasty cold, but I also needed to stop at the store on the way home, and I was not going to leave her in the car in this weather. Was that not enough to keep the cold slappin' off of me? Evidently not. At least, not in those first steps!

By the way, as I covered my face with my hands in the first stretch, I thought how handy it would be to have a scarf. Then I thought about the scarf (or, was it a blanket ...) I once tried to knit ...

... I got about as far as these, and then I bagged it. Just a note.

I really did intend to run that single mile and totally count house cleaning as a cross train (when you clean the whole house, it counts), but the plan did nothing for me. I wasn't inspired, and it wasn't a plan I would be proud of today. Besides, once I was on the stretch where the wind was to my back, it was easy to forget how much it had just hurt my face. So, you just know another plan erupted ...

Oh, yes, with 18 cents already in hand, no dog and an unchartered stretch to run, I decided I needed to keep on going once I hit the first mile. THAT plan was inspiring!

Onward I went even though I was now going more than a mile straight into the wind. I was certain I could handle it especially when I know from experience my ear warmer works to warm frozen cheeks. I also had a hood, so I figured I'd be covered. What I didn't realize was that once I was warmed up from that first mile, the wind didn't bite as hard, so moving forward was just another cold run ... complete in finding 31 more cents along the additional two and a half miles!

I wasn't sure exactly how the route would be or how it would all go, but I had a lot of faith that it would be more than worth it! It's much like how I felt 20 years ago today when Aaron and I went out on our first date ...


... I wasn't exactly sure how things would go, but I was ready for the adventure! Like with all things that matter the most to me, I couldn't necessarily see what today would look like. But, I did know enough to know he was worth the effort and/or risk because the potential payoff could be more than I could ever imagine myself.

And, as with running, I. WIN.

I'd state a plan for tomorrow's run, but who am I kidding ... as if I will necessarily stick to it. No schedule, no promises! Well, except the promise to myself to GO. The foundation sticks; the path can change as it often does! No matter what it looks like, I'll check in tomorrow and let you know how it went!