morning birthday post, Atlanta

My alarm clock went off about 6am and i lay in bed til 630, debating whether to get up or continue to sleep. My body wanted to stay vertical, but i got myself up and after a few sips of coffee, a vanilla Gu, and sitting in my bed and looking at my race bib#’s for a few minutes, I headed outside. Cool morning, 55 degrees. No iPod, no H20. I almost felt naked!! 🙂 First mile was pretty flat. The morning commuters were in their cars on this Thursday morning, making there way to wherever they were going. It was still a tad dark out and kinda quiet. I wore a long sleeve cotton t-shirt from a past race and noticed the difference in just that. Before leaving the house, i checked the weather in Chattanooga (site of race next weekend) and it was 60. I think our temperatures are pretty much the same – they are only 2 hours away. Anyways, I took a few sips of water at a fountain about mile 1.2 and kept on. My legs started to feel heavy at mile 2 and then i had all the hills left in the run. I almost stopped in a coffeehouse for another sip of water after 1st hill, but i didn’t. I ran by and took a right hand turn onto the shortest, steepest hill of the run. Hill #2. As I approached the top, the orange sun beamed at me with it’s beauty and blazing color. I smiled as I descended down hill #2. After zig-zagging through some short blocks, I got to hill #3, a long gradual climb. It was 2.95 miles at this point and i could have stopped at 3, but i didn’t. I kept on and just trudged nicely up the climb. I took my last left turn and ended at my house 1/2 block up the street. Morning runs are not easy when I don’t have time to “wake-up”, but this felt good and I was glad to get it in before the long flight across the country. Later this afternoon, I hope to get another run in for the day. I’m about to go get some morning snacks and head off. Be well all. Have a great weekend.