winter is messing with my mind!

I knew this would happen. It happens every year. The weather changes, it's bitter cold out and I lose motivation to run outside or even get my butt into the gym to run the track or treadmill! I ran about 4.5 miles last Saturday after my weight lifting routine and have not ran since! I've been working out, but not running and that worries me. Monday I kick boxed for 50 minutes, Tuesday I did 1 hours of intervals on the AMT, Wednesday I strength trained and did core/ab work. I told myself I was going to run tonight, but it's so cold out that all I can think about is going home and not leaving again! WTF!! I am so worried about losing all the endurance I built up over this year.

The one bonus that I see is that I have a jam packed schedule for 2010. I kick off my season with a cold 4 mile race in February and jump into trail half marathon training. After the trail half, I train for my first duathlon in May and have another half memorial weekend. It continues on too. Half in June, possible duathlon in July, 2 half's in August, pissibly Dances with Dirt in September and I might even try to run the Detroit marathon with a BQ time!

I just need to get through the rest of this month and Janaury...I gotta keep pushing myself to get out there and run!!

forgotten sports bra and chased by a dog

I headed out to our property over the weekend since the hubby was out there hunting. Saturday I mapped out a rural 4.5 mile route. I pulled out my gear Saturday morning and low and behold, I forgot my sports bra. Doh! How did I manage to forget such an important article of clothing? No worries, I'll just run in my regular bra.

I headed out and instantly felt pains in my knees. I should have NEVER listened to the hubby when he told me to bring my old shoes since it's mostly dirt roads! My old shoes have no support left in them and shoes are made to get dirty right? So why not run in my newer pair?

So now, here I am with a regular bra on and bad shoes. I run past a farm and had a horse snorting at me. He didn't like me running down his road! Then I pass another house and hear a dog barking. I kept thinking "please don't chase me". It didn't. It did run out in front of his house and bark at me though. Sweet! No worries. I turn on to the next road which is corn fields to the left and right. As near the end of the road, I see two dogs out in a yard. Then I notice the owner in the driveway, so any nervousness passed almost instantly. That is, until I run past, hear the owner yelling and look behind me to see a black dog hot on my heels! It finally stopped, turned around and ran home. What I don't get is the fact the dogs owner just stood up near her home, yelling for the dog. Ok, fine, maybe she knew the dog wouldn't do anything to me, but I didn't know that! I was a bit apprehensive for the next 2.5 miles. I still had 2 more country roads to run on. Nothing happened. Other than seeing a speedway in the middle of a corn field for sale and having a farmer on his tractor wave at me.

The route was a nice one, but next time I will take my mace just in case I get chased by a dog again! And I will also make sure to pack a sports bra!