When Its Gorgeous Out... Go Run!

The days are getting shorter and the weather is getting cooler.  I'm waking up to either having to start my car before heading to work or scraping the windows when I forget.  This means that my running days outdoors are starting to wane.

I have found I do prefer to run outside!  You have an obvious start and stop point and scenery to look at.  The treadmill, well its just boring!  Personally starting at Todd's tool collection in the basement isn't my idea of fun.  I know some people run while they watch TV, I've tried that and I find the commercials starting and ending just earmark how much time has or hasn't passed.  I like to be oblivious to how long I'm running for.  My best runs are when I don't realize how much time has gone by, my worst runs are when I'm counting the minutes until I can get off of that stupid thing.  I know some people run year round, that there's all kinds of gear to do that.  I consider myself a fair weather runner.  I also live in a Village, that's right a village.  There's one sidewalk and its probably only a couple of hundred meters long.  So depending on my mood I'm either running on pavement (short runs) or dirt roads (long runs).  Not only do I dislike the cold, there's a lack of sidewalks for me to run on, and well roads in the country just aren't well plowed and I'm paranoid about foot/ankle/knee injuries.  In the past I've sprained my ankle multiple times and I've torn ligaments in my right foot.  As you can see I have many reasons not to run outside in the winter.

So once the snow flies or it gets too cold for my liking I'll return to the treadmill.  For the winter I'll be doing shorter runs 3-5K (I can't psychologically do more than that on a treadmill) and focus more on my speed/pace.  I've already noticed that from spring to fall, I have improved!  In the spring I was running on average 5.4-5.5 on my treadmill and the last few times I've been on it, I'm ruining consistently at a 5.7-5.8!  That's heartening to see.  When I first started running 4.8 was fast!  In an ideal world I'd love to be running a consistent 6.0 by spring (that's a 10 minute mile!).

Look at this!  I started running with a Nike sensor and now just use the Nike GPS app the beginning of October last year.  I have now racked up 600 Kms!  Once upon a time the only case you'd find me running was if the house was on fire, and that would be out the door and stopping shortly thereafter.

I'm not in love with running, I recognize that its a challenge for me to do (I like to be challenged), its awesome cardio and calorie burn.  And of course its free!