Perfect Conditions

The moment I got out of bed this morning (which took me forever to do) I was dragging.  I felt so...blah!!  My stomach has been acting up again the last week and as soon as I put something in it...it said "Hi-yah."  I was also super tired!  So, I just kind of moped around the house all morning in my pink polka-a-dot robe.  The hubs decided to work from home so he got to hear me complain.  I knew that my feeling of 'blah-ness' wouldn't go away if I didn't start doing something.  So I did a little...very little...house work.  Then ate some delicious lunch made by my personal chef Douglas.  After the food settled, it dawned on me, "My husband is home.  I can go for a run!"  It was almost like a shot of adrenaline.  Just thinking about going running, totally changed how I was feeling.  I haven't been able to do much running the last couple of weeks and was a little scared because I believe I have shin splints (ouch!).  But I was going for it.  I tried out an interesting new outfit (sorry, no pics).  I wore leggings for the first time for a run.  Which in and of itself don't make the outfit terribly interesting, but the stuff I wore with it did. (gray shorts over the brown leggings, long sleeved brown shirt, short sleeved Spider Man shirt over that, and an orange Bondi Band).  Sounds awesome, huh?

Anyway, I walked outside and OH MY GOODNESS!!  It was so beautiful out there.  I was expecting some chill in the air, but there wasn't.  It was about 65 degrees, no breeze, clear skies...perfection.  I almost skipped to the car with the excitement of my 4 year old when she hears a Michael Buble song!! 

 I just chose to do a little personal 5k (which actually ended up being 3.54 miles) around Onalaska.  I figured out a good little loop that's just shy of a mile.  I parked, did some stretching and breathed deeply.  It smelt so lovely out there, it felt so lovely out there.  I was ready to run.  And run, I did!!  I had my handy dandy rhythmic companion with me that just put even more skip in my...stride!  Last time I did this course, there were two little mangy mutts that kept running and barking and nipping at my ankles when I would run past them.  As I rounded the corner where I was expecting them to be...not a single bark.  They were no where in sight.  I sort of giggled and sighed in relief.  Having dogs chase or bark at me raises my blood pressure a little. 

I was feeling great!!

My shins weren't bothering me and I ignored the pain in my hip, I just ran!  I enjoyed every single moment.  Every hit of my size 9 1/2's to the pavement. It was pretty exhilarating. Some runs are brutal and long and painfully painful.  This was not one of them.  It was perfect.  I didn't really want it to come to an end.  I could have run further and I wanted to, but hubby was waiting for me at home getting things ready to take the older two kids riding.  So a little cool down and I was back in the car with the windows down.  I just thought about how good I felt.  So much better than I had this morning.  I do believe I smiled the whole way home.  It's amazing what a little run can do for you some days!!!