Rain, Sweat && Snot--A Runner's Delight!

Tendencies. I have a tendency to plan, pre-plan, and re-plan. And when things don't go as planned I get a weird, out-of-whack sensation. Call me a control freak, but what's the sense of making a to-do list, putting events in your planner and jotting down your schedule, hour-by-hour if you're not going to follow through with it? Some would argue that there are some things that just can't be helped or controlled.....like the weather. The weather and I, we have one of those relationships that is either off or on. I have yet to give up on running outside, and to be frank, I probably won't because I hate the treadmill even more than freezing temperatures. Yet we've been fortunate, for it being December in Chicago, we haven't seen snow and the temperatures aren't miserable, just finger numbing.

Usually I am fairly good about layering up, after going out too many times under-dressed. But I always end up following through with the run because going back into your apartment when you're 5 feet from the door is blasphemy! You know what's even more insane? Checking the weather on the computer before you go outside....I mean, who does that!? Radicals! Haha. What it all chalks up to is that it's my own fault for being under/over dressed.

But really, I don't think it has as much to do with my anal workout agenda as it does with my stubbornness. God forbid I miss a workout I already wrote down and planned out, because that most certainly is irrational behavior! So this past Saturday I had planned on doing a long run, say 8 to 10 miles. I followed my morning routine, wake up, turn on coffee pot, warm up oatmeal and go through email/social media sites. This is carried out until 1. I have had about two cups of coffee or 2. more than 45 minutes has passed and I have gone through all of the fbook/twitter posts I can handle. Any how! I actually managed to check the weather on my computer because it was still dark-ish at 9am. This meant rain. I have had some of my best runs in the rain, but that was not by choice. More so I would find myself 4 miles deep, out far from where I started, with no choice but to keep running. But I was determined to not deviate from "the plan". I grabbed a few extra layers and told myself there was no looking back.

As I started my run it was barely drizzling but it was chilly. I thought it would be a fair compromise to do 8 miles and then spend some time doing strength in the gym. Well all of that went to hell when I hit the 4 mile mark, I felt a need to go farther.....past 5miles and up to 6. I love running a 13 mile run (6.5 one way) north because it takes me up behind Soldier Field, the Shedd Aquarium and up by Museum Campus. I felt great at the turn around, and even managed to snap a few pictures. Wish I could say the same for mile 9. At that point it was coming down harder, there was rain dripping off the brim of my hat and the wind was blowing so hard that it was almost like it was mocking my idiocy for being out running. But I couldn't quit even if I wanted to, since I was still 4 miles from home. That is one of the best motivations for a runner, because really there is no choice to it....run and get home faster or stop and walk it out, only to feel how miserable your body is and that there is not one dry spot to you.

I finally made it home and I was quick to put together some warm tea and take some Advil. But nothing came close to being as inviting as stripping off those wet clothes, putting on some warm/dry sweats and hopping back into bed, feeling completely satisfied with my insanity :)