The Non-Winter Winter Run

Today I got into work a bit early with the intention of cutting out earlier than usual (after putting in my full workday, of course!) so I could run around DC and enjoy this beautiful spring, I mean winter, day. With the days getting noticeably longer (hooray!!), it felt really strange to leave my office, running shoes in hand, at 4:15pm with the sun streaming brightly through the windows, making it feel like it was mid-afternoon and I was playing hooky.

I started my run with a few of my co-workers and we jogged down to the Mall as a warmup. I had a progression run on the docket for today and I was looking forward to tackling it. Three miles, get progressively faster so you are working hard when you finish. I was going to try to go by HR but it was giving me all sorts of wacky numbers, so that idea when out the door and I went on effort instead. It was a beautiful, perfect evening to be running around the Mall, time zipped by and suddenly I was on the last bit of the workout. I've been thinking lately that I need to put a bit more effort into running, really work hard to stay in the appropriate HR zones and try to see what pace I can push in those zones. I'm so used to Ironman training (long slow distance) and the fact that I get to do a bit more speedy stuff right now (hooray for no spring marathon!!) is kind of awesome because it kind of makes me feel like I'm ahead of the game. I am seeing numbers I don't usually see. Case in point: there was a 6:xx on my Garmin for my last mile. I haven't seen a 6-something in ages upon ages! And I certainly didn't expect to see it in January. Even better was the fact that I didn't feel like I was dying or had maxed myself out. I think the consistent strength training is helping to mold me into a better athlete, I can't believe I waited this long to get serious about it. I'm so excited for this season, SO EXCITED! I've never felt this way in January. Maybe some of it has to do with the warmer-than-normal weather, but I think alot of it has to do with the fact that I am consciously trying to make the right choices (I said no to triple cream brie cheese for a snack and yes to hummus. I said no to the second bowl of ice cream and had an apple. I'm going to bed early. I'm getting my workouts in, even the strength training). The little things that, as I'm realizing now, matter so much.