January 10th, 2007 - Thursday - 12:25pm - 26 minutes - 45 degrees - sports bra, tank top, small blue hoodie, A hat, A gloves, fleece sweat pants

Today is a beautiful day.

Figured out that it's good to start out my run wondering if I should go back and get another layer. It endsu up being exactly enough by the end of the run. Doubled over with cramps/trots/spasms/menstrual onset/god knows what about 10 minutes into the run. My legs and lungs felt fine, but I didn't know if I was going to be sick, or in which direction. Tried to do a compensatory slow trot in that position, but eventually had to veer off road and find a secluded spot to see what was going on. Didn't want to stop, but couldn't go on not knowing if I was about to lose my dignity in the middle of Prospect Park. Didn't know if I should go home Stopped, stretched, squatted, and took stock. I started again at the slowest pace possible, had to walk for a little bit, and then got back to running.

Recovery Shocker: By 15 minutes in, I was feeling great. What felt like a serious event that threatened my session was dealt with in less than 5 minutes.

The last ten minutes of the run felt fabulous. When I got tired and wanted to slow down, I used my trick of choosing on a point in the distance and telling myself that I could slow down once I got there. Then, I focused on a point far past the spot I'd chosen. By the time I reached my rest spot, I was running strong and still focused on the more distant point. Often, that point just so happens to coincide with the end of my run. It surprises me everytime how well that works. I'm fascinated by the mental aspect of this training.

Fruit: I ate an orange a little before running today. The last time this gut thing happened, I had a banana right before the run. Methinks I see a pattern here....

Made whole wheat angel hair pasta last night until 3:30am. Was so much fun, and will be great for dinner tonight with Christopher and Rachel. Planning a marathon pasta party on the 27th with Rafe's girlfriend, who's run the New York Marathon, my downstairs neighbor - Seth, my friend Mandy, You and Jackye, and my roomies. A couple of friends from the neighbor hood too. Good times.

NB - Scratch that. It was menstrual. Oranges had nothing to do with it. A week's worth of twinges in a 5 minute stretch. Go fig.