Lost Shoes and Soiled Socks

One of the biggest problems I've always had with running is over-thinking. I don't mean this as I over analyze the run, but before I run, I think too much about all my other options of time-filling. I believe in Economics this would be referred to as the "Opportunity Cost." I leave work and think "ok, I'll get home, change, and knock this run out." Then I think "well, I don't have food for dinner, do I want to stop at the grocery store first so my food options are readily available after I run?" And in the 10 minutes between work parking lot and house parking lot, I've settled on taking a nap (see I knew it would pop up!), being GROSSLY groggy and confused when I wake up, and end up watching tv and ordering Jimmy Johns.

A few words stolen from a prominent sportswear brand (let's see if we can identify which one): Just do it.

I know this has always puzzled my boyfriend, John. "I don't see what the big deal is, just do it. Just go for a run." And for years I've resisted. But it truly is the only thing that works—at least for me—just lace up those shoes and hit the road (..or the treadmill, god willing it's not the treadmill...only on desperate occasions). And look, 30-45 minutes later, you're right back home, and you have the night ahead of you.

Getting back to logging in my runs, I have 2 to report.

Wednesday: 4 miles. 6pm, dark outside, sidewalks relatively clear.
I'll be mentioning sidewalk conditions throughout the winter because DAMN people don't know ho to shovel their sidewalks in front of their houses. Makes. Running. Hard.
I always feel defeated right off the bat at these distances. It takes me about 1-1.5 miles to warm up. That's at least 25% of the run I'm struggling going "how am I this out of shape when I am this active?" At 1.5 miles I'm full of myself. "Hell yeah Erica. 4 miles? Why not 8 miles? I'm the strongest man alive!" And then I start running too fast. And at about the 3 mile mark, I'm back to being tired. But, this is nothing out of the ordinary. (note to self, work on a NORMAL pace, not one inflated by ego)

The highlight of this run was seeing a gray men's athletic left shoe in the road. The laces were EXTREMELY loose, so I can only imagine a minimal kicking motion would have sent that thing flying.

I thought my running excursion was done when I got home but not so fast Missy

.

BLOODY SOCK!

My first bloody toe of the season. Unfortunately it was caused by: toe nails. As you begin to run something that you need to be very cognoscente of is the length of your toe nails (in your shoe your toes get all smashed together, and the slightest edge that comes into contact with the side of your toe will rip that skin like...a toenail ripping toe skin). Now, before you start judging me as that crazy long-toenailed untalented runner, keep in mind that you can keep them toes in CHECK, but if you go for a run within the hour that your toenail grows SLIIIIGHTLY longer than then it's original cut...you're in bloody sock territory my friend.

So I know what you're all thinking and yes, I was able to save the WHITE Smartwool socks that were sullied by my silly toe blood. Those socks cost $17, so yeah, I attended to those before my foot. And by the way, if you've never worn Smartwool socks before get ready to have your world ROCKED the first time you slip your feet into them. I can go into more detail about WHY a pair of socks should cost $17, but that's for another post.

And that sums up that run.

Thursday: 3 miles. 4pm, light outside, sidewalks terrible.

Yes, I ran at 4pm, which by my calculations is an hour before I'm usually home from work, but I had a meeting downtown that got out earlier than I thought, and I REALLLLY wanted to run in the daylight. Plus I brought in doughnuts this morning, so that should make up for lost time.

It snowed all day. I was too excited about the possibility of NOT running in darkness that I didn't take into account all the freshly laid snow on the ground. It was like running on wet cold sand. At least when sand is in the equation there is the possibility of a beach. In my case, there was only the possibility of seeing the right gray shoe to match my discovery from my previous night's run. Fun.

Besides being REALLY hard to run on fresh snow on top of packed snow, laid in front of negligent shoveling houses, it was an uneventful run.