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As I was dressing for the run today after work, I reached into my bag and pulled out 1 sock! Root around the bag and find NO other sock - matching or not! Well, guess I'm going to run without socks today...suppose there's a first for everything.

Look in my bag and can't find my sunglasses (I ALWAYS keep a pair around since I had eye surgery a few years ago and was directed to always wear them outside). Surely I must have left them in my car...nope! WHAT IS GOING ON HERE???

Forgot my water bottle in the fridge at work - you know, the one I specifically put in the fridge before lunch so it would be nice and cold...AAAARRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHH!!!

I call home to see if my son is going to meet me out at the track - husband says no, he's scheduled for a sleep study tonight up at the hospital.

At this point, I'm wondering if I should even attempt to run since it seems that everything is against me! But, I decide to go anyway and see how many miles I can muster out.

The weather is beautiful. It's not hot, but it is very windy. We were getting wind warnings all day long with gusts between 35 and 50 knots! This is my first day running the 1.5 mile track as opposed to the 1/2 mile loop I have been running. I look forward to only needing 5 laps plus a 1/2 mile instead of the 16 laps I needed over at the parking lot! At least is sounds a lot more do-able!!

It's usually very windy on the back side of the track, but today, it's extremely windy on the front side. It was hard to breath it was so windy. It was hard to pick up my feet - it felt like I was running in concrete shoes and I felt like I was being pushed backwards and sideways, so I felt like it was taking a LOT of effort to just move forward.

Okay, so I might only be out here for 1.5 miles today...

On the back side, the wind was pushing me...so much so that there were several times I tripped over my feet and almost landed on the asphalt! I figured that as long as it's pushing me and I can keep my feet under me, then it will help me progress. At least it's not too hot!

First lap - okay that wasn't so bad, but I still wish I had my sunglasses and socks! I can do a second. At least that way I'll have accomplished 3 good, solid miles.

Second lap was much of the same...wind holding you back on the front side and trying to push you over on the back side...still feeling okay.

Seriously thinking about a 3rd lap...4.5 miles sounds totally within my realm of possibilities.

Third lap was identical to the first two. Not so bad, but still wish I had those blasted sunglasses (and the socks - my feet are going to STINK)!!

Okay, so I've got 4.5 miles down. If I do one more lap that will put me at 6 miles. I think I can do that...let's see.

Once again, the 4th lap was the same as the first 3 with one exception: Retreat! At this point I'm doing a lot of run/walk/run/walk depending on how I feel (remember the water that was left in the fridge? It really would have been helpful!) and what my heart rate is doing. I usually run based off of feel and not let a heart rate dictate what I do, but I figured I should probably walk a minute when I checked it and it was well over 200 (208 to be more precise). So when I hear the first note of Retreat, I stop and face the music (no flag out here) - umm, yeah, it hurt more to stand still than it did to just keep moving!

Okay, so that is over and I get going again. Towards the end of the 4th lap I start thinking about how I could certainly squeeze out another lap plus a 1/2 mile to finish up with 8 miles, so I keep going!

At the end of my 5th lap, I decide to run the last 1/2 mile without shoes on. I've been doing some research on "natural running form" and how it's supposed to be better for the mechanics of your body and all that technical stuff. I even took a class on it late last year down at the Riverwalk and we ran barefoot down there a little bit, but I just haven't done it lately and figured there was no better time than this last 1/2 mile to ease back into it.

By this point, I was thrilled that my run turned out to be so much better than expected, despite being physically exhausted (no doubt dehydrated as well) and ready to go home. So, I took my shoes off and did the last 1/2 mile shoeless! It was GREAT! I was very aware and cognizant of my form and technique, as well as the ground under my feet (while avoiding as many little pebbles and rocks as possible). I also felt faster...whether or not I actually was faster matters not - it's just important that I at least felt good about my decision to remove my shoes...
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UNTIL I got home and looked at the bottom of my feet and saw two big ol' blisters! What the heck? That didn't happen the last time and I ran a lot more than a 1/2 mile at the Riverwalk! Oh well, nothing a little bit of time can't fix up! Total milage count for tonight was right under 9 miles, but since it's not exact, I'll keep the number at an even 8.5...for Ethan and Reid.