Cranky Start Cranking Finish

With Eileen sick this week, everything is out of whack. We slept a little late and as I was just about to get coffee, Ruth Anne reminded me she had to be on the road to her workout by 8:30. I barely had enough time to get dressed and get my run in. I need to get some workout clothes in the wash since I was down to a bright red tank and bright orange shorts. Even I got a headache just looking at the clash of colors. I headed out the door and as I started out, I nearly bagged it. My calves, quads and hips were just cranky. At the half mile point I again considered turning around but decided to run at least 4 no matter what. I reached my 1 mile mark at an 8:26 pace and had a hard time finding the motivation to keep going. Crossing Hwy 183 I watched 5 cars in a row run the red light while I stood on the curb waiting to go. That must have gotten the blood flowing since I ran right past the 2 mile mark without noticing. The next thing I knew I had reached the 4 mile mark and was beginning to have a good pace. Hit the 5 mile mark at 38:06 for an acceptable 7:37 pace. Turned around and found myself mentally running the Boston course. The first 6 miles just blow by with the crowd and big downhills. A few rollers in the next 6 miles as you approach Welsley. Now all the mental energy is preparing for the Newton hills. Hold the pace on each of the climbs, recover on the flats then the final push up heartbreak hill. Now the reward of a mile of screaming downhill leading to the flat final miles in downtown. I hit my watch expecting to see 2:59:xx but it reads 34:53. Oh yeah, 5 miles back to the house at a 6:58 pace. Whew, a cranky start and a cranking finish. Best of all, its the first run in nearly 6 months with POSITIVE visualization. I don't think I realized how much I've missed it.