Patience; the new endurance sport.

Back to outerdarkenss.  Man, I got spoiled running last week in the broad DAYLIGHT.  Sheesh.  Even with the very pristine, clear sky and sparkeling stars, it's just not the same.  I'm am more certain than ever that sunlight is nourishing and necessary to mental as well as physical winter survival-- vitamin D and all that.  It is just not the same to run before the light of dawn.  I am becoming however, the envy of the 6:00 a.m. crowd with my fancy headlamp.  Today, the lady I've always seen for the past 10 years (and who never talks to me other than a hand gesture during the summer) asked me where I got my light.  It is nice to have the right equipment for the job.  She totally needs one.  Back to real life today.  I had a great weekend.  Also-- I saw The Blind Side on Saturday (while you all were at the game) and I highly recommend it.

Blicky treadmill miles. I alternated between 8:30's and 12:00's the whole run.  Man I suck, it sure takes a long time to run slow.

I totally forgot to log my run yesterday--lost track of time I guess.  Or maybe my schizophrenia is kicking in and I 'lost time' as they say.  The moon was so full and so bright today, I ran without the headlamp.  The moon was sort of low in the West sky, and so bright I could hardly look at it straight on.  It threw so much light it made moon shadows of us running, and of the leafy tree branches.  There were 3 groups of runners on the pre-dawn road this morning.  I'm always glad when there are more of us out there.  I'd like to be able to use the trail instead of the road, but the shade from the trees make it too dark and icy in the a.m. during the winter.  I wonder how the road will treat me once it snows-- they say that'll be this weekend!!!! I wish the snow would hurry; I crave that muffled peace and purity in the world, that only a white blanket of snow can provide.  That and my Sundance passes are burning a hole in my glove compartment.

I spent 7.5 miles 'at the movies'.  Watched 'Yes Man'.   Jim Carey is such a great performer, it was cute, was a positive message, and made the run easier.  It's kind of funny though to watch a movie at 6:00 in the morning.  Why is that? I've amped up my sit ups routine from 200-300 and my ribs are sore!  Last year I started that 100 push ups-in-a-row program.  But there was no way I could get past 60 without stopping for a long time in between reps.  This year, I'm thinking of joining runeveryday.com  You have to run at least one mile every day of your life, for the rest of your life.  After you've done it for a year you can sign up.  The idea of doing something small but active, every single day of my life really appeals to me. I've shared this idea around with a few friends in my neighborhood who I think could use a little help in the 'get moving' department.  I got a report back that one of them has been doing it now for 5 days.  Sometimes it takes a small, do-able challenge to get you going.  I'm into that.  I'm all about baby steps (this message brought to you by: what About Bob).

What a wonderful treat this morning.  I asked if I could join Josse on her trail run (she was nice to let me come help her run easy, and she can chalk it up to yet another hour of compassionate service).  It was so beautiful to be outside and partake of the glorious clear skies and all 13 degrees of mother nature (minus a few more for windchill).  Whew, I almost lost a few toes at first.  But besides running with one of my favorite people, going out in the morning sun, to run above the valley floor, above the canyon on a clear day was simply  spectacular.  I am always amazed by the places I don't know about.  The shoreline trail overlooks the whole valley and winds across the mountaintops in big loopy trails.  I loved the fields of yellowed grass down below us and how the mountain tops looked so close and rocky.  I had no idea that was all there.  It had a solid climb at the beginning that really got me breathing hard right away, felt great and was just what the doctor ordered.  What a great start for the day.

Today Catherine came over and we ran down the jetty, and to the end of the shoreline trail.  It was chilly (not as chilly as yesterday) but in the low 20's and howling wind.  The cool thing about today's run was that, at the lake shore, where the waves come lapping into the land, there was a 3 feet deep hem/border of shiny, clear ice sheets broken up into pieces that rolled around in the surf.  It looked like floating broken glass, and it sparkled in the sun. When I looked further out to sea, the tops of every wave sparkled like snow in the sunshine. I think it was so cold, the tops of the waves were freezing in the wind, and then the ice crystals blew to shore where they collected along the waterfront like shards of glass.  Catherine, who is very fond of Hal Higdon, said that Hal says that winter running should be measured in terms of minutes, not miles.  Hal says that running 10 miles in sub freezing temps is like running 15 miles in the summer. So, we ran 70 minutes and had to stop a few times so I could stretch my hams a few times.  The cold really does a number on my tendons.  It was however, so wonderful, to run in the morning light two days in a row.   Yesterday Josse and I talked about how important stretching is.  I need to get back to 15-20 minutes of it a day.  I try to stretch while at work, and before bed.  But I've slacked off, and now I'm paying for it in the cold weather.  I could also use another massage soon, I just feel really stiff these days.