baby it's cold (and dark) outside

When we started training this summer, we met at 7 a.m. At the time, it seemed absolutely brutal to get up at 6 on a Sunday. Yet at least the sun was up, and it felt like morning.

Fast-forward to today, September 6th, at 6:00 a.m.

We start running in a half an hour, and it's pitch black outside. I just let out Puck, my dog if you don't know me--is anyone reading this, by the way?--and had to turn the outdoor lights on to let him see. It's a little bit sad when I leave home for a run and see that everyone else's lights are out, that they are still snuggling into their beds preparing for a few more hours of sleep.

Not only that, but it's getting cooler in the mornings! This is generally a good thing, though, considering the South Carolina heat and humidity. At least cool mornings are better for runs (but not better for getting up).

Can you tell I'm grumpy about getting up today? I have a cold, and I can't stop coughing. 2 weeks of school and the students have already given me their first little "gift." Ha. But seriously, I feel it in my head and my chest, and I just hope I can make it through this run today.

Last week, Barbara (our coach) told us to come up with three goals for our race, and today seems a good morning to implement mine:

1) I will pick an interval and stick to it. Today, I'll try 6 and 1's (meaning, for those of you who don't follow Gallaway's training method ;), that I'll run 6 minutes and speed walk 1 for the entire race)

2) I will think of my father, my reason for doing this, as well as of our team heroes and the many people who suffer with blood and other cancers. Sometimes I get so caught up in bitching and/or feeling tired that I forget why I'm running in the first place.

3) This sounds cheesy, but I will remember to smile. Barbara suggested this so, tentatively, I smiled on one of my weekday early morning runs. I felt like a bit of a moron and wondered what the people driving to work thought of me, but it actually helped. By smiling, I elevated my mood a bit and was able to have a great run.

So that's all, folks. Time to head out into the dark abyss and run a little. Catch you later.