June 12

Total time: 20 minutes
Total distance: 1.64 miles

I hadn't really planned on running on Tuesday, but in the back of my mind, I kind of felt like it was my only chance for the week because I had softball games scheduled for every other night (including a double header on Thursday!). Even if it weren't almost dark by the time I got home from the game(s), coaching is surprisingly exhausting, and I was pretty much ready to crawl into bed immediately upon walking in the front door (after showering, of course.) So this was my only non-softball night of the week, and I felt like I should take advantage of that... but guys, even without a game, I was so mentally and physically exhausted that I wasn't sure I was going to be able to muster up the energy to actually do it.

Additionally, I was a bit wary of the weather. We've been bouncing between high heat during the days and cooler temps in the evenings, which is the perfect recipe for a summer storm. Now, I don't know about you all, but I prefer cloudy days over sunny days, hands down. And I really love that sense of Impending Doom and Gloom that hangs in the atmosphere right before a storm - dark clouds, a slight breeze, no rain - so as soon as I had finished eating and realized it hadn't started raining yet, I scrambled to change into some running-appropriate clothing and quickly scampered out the door while the weather-window was still open. I had brought all of my stuff with me (except my shoes, because I forgot them until I was already in my car - I still haven't gotten to run in my new shoes and it's really kind of torturing me) to the BF's place with the intention of talking him into running with me (because I couldn't back out if I had a running partner!) if it hadn't started raining by the time I got there, but he was neck-deep in Projects, so I decided to hit the trail solo. There is a paved sidewalk/trail that winds around most of his apartment complex's property, so I had a path to do some laps on, which I thought might be a nice change of scenery from my usual park. The temperature was perfect and I was suddenly in the mood to run...

...I just hadn't realized how windy it had become while I was inside.

I've been pretty fortunate in that I haven't had to run in the wind yet (snow, yes, and rain, yes, but wind... not so much) - it helps that my usual trail is lined with trees. It kind of sucks, a lot, that wind. I was really surprised to see that my pace wasn't significantly slower than usual, because it sure felt like I was struggling along. It also wasn't maybe the smartest of ideas to start running right after eating, but (a) it was now or never, because the rain was definitely on its way and (b) when you arrive to discover that your BF has made you dinner, you obviously eat it right away. (Plus, again, I hadn't even decided if I was going to go running - I'd brought the stuff, and I'd had great intentions, but I also thought I'd probably talk myself out of it.) Right around minute 10, I was starting to get some side aches, but they weren't severe enough to make me stop - but they probably kept me from going as long as I would have liked to. Even so, I made it 20 minutes, which isn't anything to scoff at.

Forecast is calling for more rain and storms throughout the rest of the weekend - if it's a light rain, I'll run in it, but if it's a heavy rain or a thunderstorm, no can do. I've also got games stacked up again most nights next week - we had so many rained out games at the beginning of the season that we've got all of our makeup games crammed in now. So Tuesday might be my only free night again, but if we have an early home game, I might be able to fit one in, though it would probably have to be a short one. I don't know. I don't really plan my runs - I'm not really training for anything, per se. I've got some 5Ks coming up but I know now that I can run that far, so as long as I keep running regularly, I should be able to keep doing it. My running schedule right now pretty much consists of "run whenever you can, as often as you can" and it seems to be working for me. I know you're supposed to take rest days and do cross-training or strength-training and stuff, but that seems kind of advanced for where I'm at and I have no idea how to do any of that, and I'm not really a competitive runner, so... I don't know. I don't know at what point I really need to start thinking about stuff like that, especially since I'm just doing 5Ks (at least for now!) Things to ponder, I guess.