Susan runs 7 miles, thanks to Dave

Long run today, and I tried out a new route around the neighborhood. The bad news is that it includes about half a mile on a back-country commuter road, but there appears to be plenty of shoulder room most of the way and leads to two good smaller roads for more mileage. I made the 7 miles OK, in spite of much internal whining and complaining. That short conversation with the nice salesman in the running shop yesterday turned out to be more useful than I realized. I now know that the aching knees afterward is just a sign that yes, I exercised. If it doesn't hurt during the run, probably I am not injuring my precious self so "quitcherbitchin..." Interesting things I observed today were:

1. It's hard to get out of the house in the first place when you are wearing spandex running shorts, a stupid looking pink fanny pack laden with a half-frozen water bottle, a sweatstained cap and the ever-wonderful old-lady upper arm wings.
2. 
3. For the first mile, all I can think of is the panoply of irritations, aches and pains that are clamoring for my attention: achy knee, itchy shorts, scratchy throat, heel pain signaling possible plantar fasciistis, wishing I'd brought gum, dull pain where the thigh bone meets the hip, hunger, etc etc. Oddly enough, these all disappear by the end of the the second mile.
4. It helps to remember that not long ago even walking for thirty minutes was something I had to work up to.
5. It also helps when you notice that the same hills that once loomed like mountains are now just bumps to go up and then, go down on the way to somewhere else.
6. Running without music would be INSANE. And oddly, the Theme from Rocky usually pops up in your Ipod Shuffle just when you need it to keep going. Today, it was the third song...
7. Water is very very good -- if nothing else drinking it keeps you from dying of boredom.
8. Knowing that the next day you will be going out for an all-you-can-eat sushi buffet is also a good motivator.
9. Since I started running and "racing" (and I use that word loosely) for the first time 15 years ago I continue to notice that the last mile is fast, and even fun, no matter what the distance. Funny, huh?
   
10. It is difficult to ice your butt. So I have not included a photo here. Lucky for you.
    
11. .

OK, race fans, only 9.5 weeks to go. This morning I didn't think I could run 10 yards today...and look what happened!