Leaving the Funk on the Road

Today I had the most stressful morning!! I had every intention and permission to sleep in but instead was awake before dawn thanks to my 6-year-old son. He also followed me downstairs as I trudged down to make coffee. Instead of waking up quietly and enjoying my 15 minutes of quiet wake-up time, I got to listen to requests for different breakfast foods and Angry Birds. I love my son, don't get me wrong. The things he was doing would be considered absolutely charming any other time of the day. It's just very hard for me to wake up that way. Shortly after, the other two boys arrived all hungry and grumpy. I plopped some pancakes and milk in front of them all and proceeded to try to get my head right. I ate some oatmeal with raisins and milk (no sugar...I'm actually doing really good about watching what I eat these days).
I headed upstairs to get dressed for my run and search for a few minutes of peace and quiet. Have I mentioned I am really not a morning person? I realize really quickly that I didn't have much to wear. I couldn't find a sports bra, no longer pants to wear and there was a river of clean laundry blocking the entire upstairs hallway. I sighed and half-dressed for my run proceeded to put the laundry away because I figured I would find what I needed along the way. Just about every 5 minutes, one of the boys is whining up to me, tattling on another one. My stress level was seriously elevating.

Eight o'clock rolls around and the next thing I know the boys are bounding through the house at full speed and full-volume playing hide-and-seek. They are nearly running me over as they fly through the hallway at fullspeed. Again, I'm glad they want to play with one another, but all of their high-strung activity and noise is driving me nuts!! All I want to do is get out there and run, leaving this funk that I've picked up this morning out on the road.
The laundry is just about put away, and I have settled on capri's a ragged t-shirt I usually sleep in, shorty socks that I don't really like because they go halfway up my calf and a dirty sports bra that I have had to dig out of the laundry. I lace up my shoes, instruct the kids not to kill one another and head out for my run. One mile in I am interrupted by my oldest son (in charge) calling me to tell me my middle son is mad and threatening to do dangerous things to the other ones. I double back and stop at the house, contain anything and everything that could be used as a weapon and threaten the kids with their lives if I have to turn around again...it works. And the rest of my run goes smoothly and without a peep.

This is where everything turns around for the POSITIVE. This the whole reason why I run. A mile or so in, all of the stress of my morning melts off as I pitter patter down the sidewalk, listening to One Republic sing, "Oh, it's gonna be a good life..." and I'm agreeing. I'm loving life, I'm running in SUNSHINE :)

Here's my run stats:

My goal was 6-7 miles, and I did better! It just felt so awesome!! I stayed over 10:00 pace for most of the run too, which I was proud of. Longer runs are meant to be slow, and I really enjoyed the whole run.

It was pretty cold, probably a bit too cold for capris and a short-sleeved t-shirt, but I didn't notice. Nothing could get me down.

Favorite moments: 1) Running over Seaside's bridges and seeing the sunshine sparkling on the water, it was beautiful. 2) Passing the golf course and smelling the freshly cut grass. 3) Passing an older couple who were proceeding into the country club door and hearing the husband say, "Hey, she just ran past our house a few miles back." 4) Hearing Sonja Richards Ross say she was impressed with my dedication. Those "personal" voice-overs from elite runners never get old!

It was sunny, I had to wear sunblock and my hat.

Funny note...I never thought I would run in a thong before but I recently bought a few pairs from Lulumon and it was surprisingly comfortable! I think the barely-there factor plays a huge part! I think it helps to wear form-fitting bottoms too (flowy running shorts probably wouldn't feel the same as tight pants)

I tried to take a picture or two with my iPhone in some pretty spots but realized my armband covers the lens. Perhaps I might find one soon that does not.

I found a lot of places to run on the side of the sidewalk in the grass...much of which was mossy and bouncy and soft.

Did I mention the Vitamin D I got today because it was SUNNY?? Yes, it was sunny!!! I'm a happy girl!!