Running to Halloween?

I was determined to go running today, and to write a Running Commentary post.  First task completed!  On the the second part…

When I got home from work today, I did not pause and change my mind.  I went upstairs, gathered a load of laundry and put on running clothes. You see, I intended to multi-task by putting clothes in the washer while I ran (and felt pretty virtuous about it, since I am not out of clean underwear, nor is Steven out of clean socks).  I got the washer going, then got going myself.

I started out in the opposite direction of what I usually take, heading towards State Street instead of German.  The reason was that I had noticed a house down the street with Halloween decorations in the front yard.  I need a little Halloween!  I saw another house with a couple of scarecrows by the porch, so that was nice.

It was fine running weather:  not hot, not too sunny.  Of course, I was NOT in fine running shape.  I’m not even sure when I last ran, but I believe it was more than a week ago.  In my defense… OK, I have no defense.  It was stupid of me not to run, or at least get some form of exercise.  What can I say?  We do not always do what is best for ourselves (Oh, I suppose YOU do?).  However, I was happy I was out there moving, and I can continue to get out there on a regular basis.  I hope.

The house did not have as many decorations as some (not as many as MY house is going to have), but it did look nice.  I love Halloween.  I ran past it and turned right onto West Albany Street.  Hmm… which street should I run up?  Not Henry, that was too close. Maybe Caroline and make a BIG rectangle.  Instead I went up Margaret, because I did not feel like running around some cars I saw parked across the sidewalk.  I should perhaps mention that my body was not best pleased with me.  I wondered how long I could keep up even my slow middle-aged shuffle.

Twenty minutes.  I could go 20 minutes.  Oh dear, I wasn’t even at ten.  Never mind.  Just keep going.  I looked at different houses, envied a few screened in porches, admired some late blooming flowers, and calculated how long it was going to take me to get back into 5K shape.  There is a 5K at Cullen’s Pumpkin Farm in October, but that may be too soon.  There are usually a couple of Turkey Trots on Thanksgiving, but I might be busy that day.  Of course I intend to participate in the Reindeer Run in December (perhaps you read my blog post about last year’s event).

As I ran and figured, I started to feel a little better about moving.  Not better enough to go a whole lot more than 20 minutes, but I managed 25.  Then I felt pretty darn tired.  But that hardly matters.  The only other thing I have to do today is make my blog post (what, fold the laundry?  Surely you jest!) (and I will call you Shirley if I want to).  And here I am over 500 words.  Yay me!  Now if only I can make it LESS than a week before I run again.