I did it! What's next?

My morning run was glorious. To be sure, it was cold and early, but I roused myself from sleep and got to it. Yahoo!

I ran to Welles Park and just ran laps around the park, enjoying my iPod shuffle and that weird early-morning sunshine that I rarely notice. 

I came home and couldn't even catnap after showering, eating breakfast and getting ready for work. Spooky! Instead I lounged, chatted with B and left for work on time.

I'm back to working the early shift at work, which means I leave right at 6:30 a.m. so my next early run might not be for awhile, but I'm so happy I can do it!

What's next?

• The Wacky-Snacky 5K on Sunday, March 1 - Run 3.1 miles and then fill up a sack with snack food for Snack Food Appreciation Month. Good golly.
• Relax - I'm vowing to work a bit on my deep breaths and stretching just to chill out a bit in my shoulders, neck and brain. Right now I'm enjoying a cup of minty tea, listening to "Air and Simple Gifts" (that wonderful song from President Obama's Inauguration) and feeling a pretty lovely bit of calm sweeping my way. Ahhhhh.
• Blogging more! Stay tuned for possibly-more-focused posts from me. I'm on it!

*The photos here is from Inauguration Day - see that odd early morning light? That's what I'm writing about - that sunrise-y prettiness that comes with a nice morning. Lovely.

A valiant attempt

Tomorrow I'm doing something new and different - something I've never done before.

I'm waking up early to exercise.

Before I go to work (I'm due in at 9) I'm going to run. I'm aiming for about 30 minutes of moving about, then a quick shower, a speedy get-ready and a catnap before I depart. 

I see plenty of pluses for this new, strange trial - a sunny morning, endorphins doing whatever endorphins do to make you feel all wonderful, checking something so meaningful as running off my list before 8 a.m. 

My little shuffle and I are ready. Outfits picked out, shoes set out, and timing carefully considered. But this is all an adventure into a strange new world.

I'm the last person to realize this...

iPods, or whatever teensy music-carrying device you have, are awesome!

B surprised me with a tiny, half-ounce iPod shuffle (blue) today and I'm hooked. I love clipping this little thing to my clothes, bopping about the house, pausing it, skipping songs to see what's next and just having my own music just for me.

I don't mind that my shuffle doesn't have a display. On my run today I just pushed the forward button - easy-peasy! 

I'm honestly the last person to realize how wonderful this is, but I'm on your side now, pod people. Thanks, B!

Jog, jog, jump past slush, jog, jog

I ventured out for a run this morning - lovely, besides the sections of sidewalk completely untouched by shovel or salt!

There

's a lot of uncleared sidewalk in Chicago - c'mon property owners! 

Just the same it was nice to breath some warmer air and move my feet a bit.

Cheers to a few warm days coming up! Maybe a bike ride to work before too long?!!?