Sweet Sixteen

This morning started off bittersweet. All week I knew that Saturday morning would approach quickly and that I had to mentally prepare myself for a 16 mile run with our running group. The most we have run at one time is 14 miles so in my head adding that extra 2 seemed like quite a bit! Even after going to bed fairly early, the 5am alarm went off much too soon. After making sure I was dressed and ready, I got Colby's food together and took her outside.  Not only were we running longer this week, we also had the Jacksonville groups meet us by the beachfront. I remember somehow falling in to the wrong group last year when the big group came to meet us so I knew what not to do this time around! Finding a group that moves at a similar pace is very important and I knew I did not want to push myself too hard throughout the run. With marathon training, I've been following the "slow and steady wins the race" motto instead of trying to break new records. If I'm going to be running longer than a half marathon, I want to finish strong and feel good on the longer run days!

Photo credit goes to a fellow Galloway Runner

I'd say overall this morning was a huge success! Thank goodness for such a strong and supportive group. I also realized that going off on tangents and talking about everything under the sun makes you forget about how far you are going and allows you to have fun and enjoy the route!
A shout out to my fellow runners this morning for making the run that much more fun! After finishing that last mile, it was safe to say that the morning ended on a very sweet note. Onward and upward my friends! Enjoy your weekend!

Rise and Shine

6am scenic run in Portland, ME during a business trip

After logging a few miles this morning with my run and dog walk, I started thinking about the benefits of starting my morning's earlier. Of course when you are in a deep slumber and the alarm goes off, the last thing you want to do is spring out of bed in excitement but after shutting off the alarm and slowly making my way out of bed, I think about what I can accomplish in the next couple of hours before starting my work day.
I do realize that not everyone out there enjoys getting up early to go for a run or tackle house hold chores before the sun comes up but as a morning person, I'm always happy to accomplish whatever I can in the quiet hours of the morning.
For starters, my morning runs usually consist of the same 1.5 mile loop and realizing that if I get out there early enough, I can dodge any foreseen traffic and get the run done with minimal stops.
Secondly, when it is still somewhat dark out and the temperatures are cooler, Colby can walk further at a more comfortable pace without getting overheated. While I love the Florida sunshine, a black lab can get very warm in the hotter temps!
After the morning workouts are complete, I have enough time to throw a load of laundry on and make a hearty breakfast to eat alongside my cup of coffee! Fortunately, I work from a home office so I don't have to worry about a morning commute every day, but waking up early certainly has its perks! So get out there and do something great this morning! Happy Friday everyone!