Ah, winter. Dark at 5:30. Sunrise at 7:30. Finding a window of time when you are free and the sun is up to get outside at all is the plight of anyone who works full time.
I have been struggling to get back into the swing of a normal workout routine. Some chronic pain that just will NOT seem to go away (shoulders, knees, shins…all over the place) plus Paul traveling the last two months plus work plus baby make for a really tired me and a really inconsistent schedule.
Back in September, when I first started exercising again, I honestly thought by this time of year I would be just about ready to race a half marathon. I was even searching for halves (halfs?) in Southern California around Christmas time, since we’ll be back in SB next week. But I am nowhere near there. Not even close. I’m still shooting for 30-45min easy runs 3-4x a week. I know a number of people who have had babies and just bounced right back into 10 mile runs weeks after giving birth…but for whatever reason my body is just not up for that. It’s been a lot slower going than I expected.
But I’m trying.
When I left for my run yesterday morning at 7am it was 19 degrees. And pitch dark. There is a lot not to like there.
But then around 7:30 the sun started to come up. And in the winter (assuming it’s not freezing rain), the sunrises in the cold air seem exceptionally spectacular.
And suddenly, dragging myself out of the warm house into the dark and cold to plod along on a pathetically slow run is the best decision I made all week. I will take running in the cold–even the very cold–over running in really high heat with humidity any day. Frozen snot, numb face, hacking cough and all.
Another perk: when you take the dog with you and he drops a doozer in a big pile of leaves, the steam makes it easier to find.
Rambulatory Ambulatory 