Running Outside

Lets start this off by saying--I am so proud of myself for running my long run outside this week! My amazing boyfriend Daniel, decided he wanted to slow his pace a little bit (He is a much more experienced runner than I am, in better shape and able to run upwards of ten miles on a normal day..) and would be okay running a few miles with me. So we ran 4 miles at about a 1030 pace which actually is pretty dang good for me. Well he ran 9 miles I think... because he ran to my house, picked me up, ran 4 with me, then continued on after that. Anyway. Now that we are under the 80 day countdown mark for the Half marathon coming up, its a goal of mine (and a very necessary one) to run more outside than I do inside. However, with the weather being so freakishly cold (okay its low 40s..but still) I am not motivated to get outside and do it. The other thing is, it is just hard! Does anyone else find running outside difficult? I find that I have a mental block when it comes to running distance. Running the first mile is alright, second mile is okay...but then I start counting...and I start looking at how far I have gone, how many calories I'm burning, what pace I'm running at, and how much further I have to go. I start playing the numbers game in my head...calculating how many minutes are left for how far I want to go, trying to push myself to up my calorie expenditure and go just a little bit further and just a little bit faster. In some ways I suppose this is a good thing--to push myself I mean. But actually it really doesn't make it that much fun. I find my runs are much more enjoyable when I get lost in them. I just haven't figured out how to just lose myself everytime. Dan says that he gets up to eight miles and he's like, woah where did the last six miles go. :) Oh, that would be nice.

Ways to Inspire myself to hit the Road and not the gym...

* Make an appointment---maybe I should name the road... hmm, then I would be letting someone down if I didn't go out with it!
* Motivate someone else to do it with me--Aka, my roommate Danielle...or Dan :) or Tamara
* Dont think, just lace up my shoes and go
* Reward myself? a 15 minute massage if I run outside? hmm double reward because my shoulder needs it!

Its a working list. Regardless, I have to get myself out there somehow--because the half marathon isn't going to be on a treadmill!