Double Ditched

Josh and I had  been planning a running date for a while.  His sister was kind enough to offer to come watch our kids so we could go early and run.  Our plan was for him to do 15 miles.  I was going to drive a few miles down the road and meet him on the trail.  Then I was going to run about 7 miles total, drive home- and meet him when he got back.  Unfortunately, he rolled his ankle playing basketball on Thursday.  Since he's got his first half in 2 1/2 weeks, he decided to take it easy.  So then, I called my SIL (the one that was going to watch our kids) and she said she would run with me.  At 4:30 AM!!!!- I got a text from her saying she had been up for hours not feeling good.  Bummer!  Double ditched. Anyhow, I woke up just after 6 and began my run just as the sun was rising.

It was a very beautiful morning.  I have only run on the Rio Grande trail a couple times, and only for about .5 mile at a time.  I ended up running over 6 miles.  Josh picked me up at the end, so I was able to run south the entire time.  I felt great for most of it.  After mile 5, I started getting light-headed and seeing black spots.  But I pushed through mile 6.  The scenery was beautiful!  I can't wait to do it again...hopefully with someone by my side!

I thought I would share my favorite 5 running songs at the moment.  I love music so much, it's hard to pick just 5.  But here is what I'm feeling right now:

#1 is an awesome song if you are feeling worn out or tired.  It pumps me up and motivates me to go faster and I feel like it gives me the extra energy I need.

#2 is great at keeping my pace up.  It is the exact tempo I like.

#3 is kind of a nostalgic song for me, so it brings back happy memories and keeps my mind off any pain I may have.  It has a great beat too.

#4 is another good one for pumping me up.  The tempo isn't the fastest, but the lyrics are motivating.  I love Andy Grammer!

#5 is my favorite song to start out on.  It's a bit slower, but again, the lyrics help me get my head in the game.

5 Tips To Get Your Bum Out Of Bed

Workout this morning: 3 mile run.  It was HOT and I swear there was no shade to be found.  (It's going to be real fun this weekend when the highs are supposed to reach 102!)

Josh didn't end up going out because his back is messed up!  Get better, boy!

Sometimes it is really hard to get myself out of bed to go on an early run, but with Josh's schedule, and needing to be back in time to feed my kids breakfast and get them ready for the day- morning is just plain practical.

If you're not a morning person, try these tips to help you get yourself out of bed and on the road! (These are not serious tips, by the way.  Don't go calling DCFS on me.)

• Start With A Donut: It's the perfect pre-running fuel.  Not too heavy, and gives you plenty of energy.  Isn't it a super-food?
• Ignore Your Children: For years, my kids have been my alarm clock.  Now at 7 AM sharp, when I hear them calling "Mooom" from their room, I grab my sneakers and run! And when I get back, Josh has them dressed, fed, and playing nicely together...er, something.
• Picture Your Serenity:  Seriously though, one of the reasons I love morning runs is because it allows me to clear my head and think about the kind of day that is ahead.  I swear my children are all the more better for it.
• Be Prepared:  I know some people who sleep in their running clothes so they have to do as little as possible when they wake up.  Me? I am in the middle of inventing a machine that gets me into my garb, pulls my hair up, and kicks me out the door while I'm still sleeping.  Every minute is precious.
• End With Donuts:  What more can I say?