Here we go

I started my morning off right today: half a crunchy peanut butter Clif bar, a 7-mile outdoor run, some excellent tunes -- including, but not limited to, Glee ("Hate On Me" really got me going) and Girl Talk (best running music EVER) -- and an awesome bowl of steel cut oatmeal. I had sort of thought about going for an outdoor run this morning as I was going to bed last night as it was supposed to be a bit chilly but sunny, and my mind was made up when my alarm went off at 5:30 -- too early! I reset it for 6 and waited till the sun rose (around 6:15) to set out on my run.

Of course, my Garmin decided to malfunction and I think it didn't work for the first half-mile of the run. I got it to kick in though, and for some reason I was feeling mighty quick on my feet this morning.

The first and last miles were supposed to be warm-up/cooldown miles, and apparently I was just not in the mood to warm up...I did walk for five or so minutes before starting out, but I just felt so quick! So I went with it. The last mile however...I was beat. I definitely used that as a cooldown mile. Plus that last mile was along 15th Street, which involves a lot of crosswalks so I had to stop/start my watch a few times.

I found that I was able to keep a pretty quick pace (for me) during the run when I focused on something in the distance -- sort of like how when I'm racing and pick people to pass and use them as markers, I used buildings, billboards and traffic lights to use as markers. I really got in the zone whenever a Girl Talk song came on, particularly "What It's All About" -- the line "Oh s***, here we go" right in the beginning of the song really pumped me up. Because, um...YEAH, OH S***, HERE WE GO! That song will figure prominently in my half-marathon track list. It really got me going and kept me in the zone. It was really perfect. Also good: Glee's "Somebody to Love" and "Bust the Windows"...and "Hate On Me" of course. Who knew show choir songs could be so motivating?!

I went up the West Side Highway, along one of my favorite routes and pretty much the same one that I did on Saturday.

It was such a perfect morning for a run outside. It was cool and breezy but nice enough to wear shorts -- and break in my new shoes! However, I think I may have been a bit overzealous with them...my leg is hurrrting me today. I don't think I stretched enough after the run or something, but tonight I did a LOT of stretching to try and make up for it. Hopefully I'll feel better tomorrow. It's not my IT band again (I don't think...). It feel like it's more in my hip, but the same leg as the IT band issue. We'll see how I feel tomorrow, but for now I might be taking it easy and skipping the gym to help me recover.



Ten days till the first spring half-marathon...HERE WE GO!!!

What's your "in the zone" song?