I don't do backstory, however I am becoming very interested in yours.*

This week I decided it was time to get back in to running.  Well...I decided it a few weeks ago when I decided to attempt the half marathon again.  I figured if I got in to it early enough then I would somehow find myself prepared for 13 grueling miles.  It might work right?

Anyway, so yesterday morning I made myself go running.  It wasn't so bad.  I decided I would just do two miles and ease myself back in to things.  The weather was beautiful, it wasn't too hot and there was a nice breeze.  You couldn't ask for better weather to motivate you to just keep going.  I planned to go running this morning because of scheduling issues, but somehow ended up sleeping in...I don't know how that crazy stuff happens.  So I planned it out in my head during work.  I'd get home and go running at 5:30, doing three miles that would get me back by 6 (I don't know why I'm so optimistic about my time) and that would leave plenty of time to shower and get ready for Institute at 7.

There was only one thing I didn't take in to account (aside from the fact that I need to work my way back to a ten minute mile), the weather.  So here's my advice.  If you come home from work and your brand new sunflowers go from being these vibrant, beautiful buds of happiness to look like this:

Then you probably shouldn't go running.  It's like a canary in mine - if the bird drops dead you should probably get out.  If you plants that looked alive when you left for work look like they'll barely make it through the night - don't stay outside.  

I know this now.  This afternoon I ignored it. I told myself I would just do two miles today cause of the heat, but when I hit the turn around point I felt fine so I decided to go with three miles, which in theory was just adding a half mile.  I think it was at two miles that I wished I had just stuck with two miles in the first place...I pictured one of those signs in my head where it says, "If you lived here you'd be home" but it said "if you made good choices you'd be home right now."  So I suffered through the last mile and tried to find the balance of thinking I was going to pass out and thinking it was all in my head.  But I made it home - with barely enough time to get in the shower and eat and get to institute...and the whole time I felt like I was going through menopause.

I hope that I can remember this and make myself get up early next time I want to go running, probably Thursday...we'll see how it goes.