Early bird gets the run in

Once upon a time there was a girl who loved to sleep.  She spent her waking hours dreaming of her next siesta. If she lacked sleep she took it out on the chirping birds outside her window. Yelling at them to go away. Sometimes even giving them the bird.

She simply could NOT function on 6 hours of sleep. She absolutely needed 8 or 9.

Then one day, the weather report called for excruciatingly hot temps. 'Oh no!' She whined. 'I cannot go run in THAT kind of heat.  What ever shall I do?'

She thought through her options :

1) Don't run. (Not an option)
     Consequence/problem: Streak will be over.

2) Run in the hot temps. (Obvious choice)
     Consequence/problem: I'll melt and possibly die.

3) Run with ice cream. (Better obvious choice)
     Consequence/problem : none. But it might get messy

4) Have someone follow me with a spray bottle (Right)
     Consequence/problem : None. (Ain't nobody got time for that)

5) Run at night. (Might work. Nah)
     Consequence/problem: Still hot. (See #2)

6) Run in the morning. (Ugh)
     Consequence/problem: No sleep. Bitchy. Bitchy. Bitchy.

Thinking through each one of them carefully she decided her only choice would be to get up early and go for a run.

So Ms. Grumpy Pants got up earlier than normal. Sleep would have to wait. She had her normal cappuccino and wrapped her head around the fact that she was actually up before the sun. BEFORE the sun I tell ya. The first sip of her morning jolt barely made it to her mouth. Dripping on her shirt.  This was gonna be great!

Off she went dragging her feet. Still trying to wake up. The birds chirping all around was the cherry on top.  She turned up the volume on her headset and got lost in her thoughts...and lost on her route.  Okay, okay.. not really lost, just went a different way than normal. Same difference. Point is, this waking up early business was gonna take some time and a lot of caffeine or a miracle.(Or both)

Each morning, she talked herself into that morning run. Convincing herself that it was well worth the grogginess to beat the heat, after all the 'Early bird get the worm'.  And in her case, 'Early bird gets the run in'

The truth was she was in fact enjoying the beautiful sunrise and the crisp morning air..the birds, well not so much.

One Sunday morning she got ready for her long run. She went through her normal routine of putting on her gear and eating a little breakfast.  In place of her coffee, she popped in a PlowOn gum and headed out the door.

A few miles into her long run she felt awake. Energized. A miracle she thought! She plowed through the hills and miles with power. Coffee never did this!! She would finish her long run that day with a new PR and a new bitchin attitude.  With PlowOn gum anything was possible, including being a morning person!  (Maybe)

This morning gig was turning out to be okay in her books. I mean who actually likes running in hot temps? Not this Bitchinrunner. But she will always find something to bitch at.......






Next up: Bitchin while running: Drivers and other annoyances