I absolutely love that trail..it's a perfect 4 miles up and back, however, it holds something creepy in the dark, an unspeakable horror that drove my pace a full minute faster than I intended.

LOL! Great run. I guess that's one way to get in a good tempo run.

In Minnesota. We have had snow.

Yeah. It's 70 here. Neener, neener.

Excellent points, Varda especially the bit about form disappearing when tired - I fall apart like a cheap suit when I start to tire!

3mile run tonight. Usually I do mornings but circumstances dictated I switch to this evening (IBS bleurgh). It was brutal .... it felt bad the whole way round although I did manage the hills fine, with hindsight. Time for the 3miles was 34:07 which wasn't too bad but I wouldn't say I found it particularly enjoyable.

Oh well, onto the next one - Monday MORNING!

6 mile long run at 4:00 AM @ 9:48 pace...

I decided to run to a trail and run the trail this morning at a local park....BIG MISTAKE!!!...As soon as I go off the road, I flushed a coyote and several other animals I couldn't identify! I couldn't see the trail. Pulled my headphones out and swore that I was being followed by something along the creek bank...

I popped back onto the road at the next chance and adjusted my route to follow lighted streets on the fly.

I absolutely love that trail..it's a perfect 4 miles up and back, however, it holds something creepy in the dark, an unspeakable horror that drove my pace a full minute faster than I intended.

Great run! I am totally with you on the creepy in the dark thing!

If I want to run outside now, I have to face the dark. There's no getting around it. However, I will be headed for lighted streets after tonight's experience!

My run was supposed to have been on Halloween, but I had to postpone until today. However, it was plenty spooky! I ran 4 miles easy in 48 minutes. That was good! But the usually pleasant wooded road that leads into and out of my neighborhood apparently turns terrifying in the dark. It was light on my way out, barely...but it was deep dark on my way back. With no other sources of light, my headlamp kept me from twisting an ankle, but it also made me unable to see much beyond the pool of light. AND it occurred to me, that while I couldn't see anything more that a few yards ahead of me, it made me visible from a long way off to anything out there in the darkness! As if it weren't already bad enough that it was deserted and pitch dark, an owl was hooting from the woods! So creepy!!! Fittingly my ipod was randomly playing The Killer's "Everything is Going to Be Alright". I swear to you I am not making this up! And I will not run that stretch in the dark again! I am driving into town and running there!

Good on you in getting out there even if you don't like the dark!

I never thought too much about who might be watching without me seeing them - odds are no one but it's one of those things that if you keep thinking about it while you're out in the dark your mind goes into overdrive!

I think you're right to drive to somewhere with better street lighting if you feel more comfortable - better that than being put off running.
I don't mind the dark normally but occasionally if I'm doing the bedtime walk with my dog I start to imagine things. Once was the zip toggle on my jacket just tapping every so lightly but because I had my hood up it sounded more like someone behind me. I kept checking over my shoulder and eventually told the pup to wrap it up we were going home whether she'd done her business or not - all because I let my imagination build images of men in hockey masks hiding behind trees. Of course, the next morning it was still raining so hood up and I heard the same thing again, worked out what it was and felt really stooopid lol

6 mile long run at 4:00 AM @ 9:48 pace...

I decided to run to a trail and run the trail this morning at a local park....BIG MISTAKE!!!...As soon as I go off the road, I flushed a coyote and several other animals I couldn't identify! I couldn't see the trail. Pulled my headphones out and swore that I was being followed by something along the creek bank...

I popped back onto the road at the next chance and adjusted my route to follow lighted streets on the fly.

I absolutely love that trail..it's a perfect 4 miles up and back, however, it holds something creepy in the dark, an unspeakable horror that drove my pace a full minute faster than I intended.

Hahaha this is flipping funny - actually all everyone's night stories are awesome!!!! I often look over my shoulder because I swear people are there sneaking up on me too, dark is terrifying especially with headphones!!!

I originally did C25K last summer (repeated it this year & kept going this time) and intentionally ran early in the morning so nobody would see me. I was worried I looked like a moron, plus was convinced that people would see me and think "she's too big to run." The day I ran past a yard full of high school boys playing football and didn't care was the first time I felt like a real runner.

What a great moment.

I also look like a bedraggled cat. And I get so sweaty that I have slipped right off the toilet seat twice after my runs. Not that you all need that visual. But my husband thought it was funny and wanted to install a grab-bar for me. That's when I knew I loved the Apple earbuds. I was sweaty enough to slide around, but they stayed in my ears for the whole run.

Lolol that's hilarious too!!! What great visuals these stories rock everyone!!! We are becoming full on runners...

Today I did my 3rd 5k in basically a month and got another pb -35.27 and every mile was under 12 minutes!!!! I was very proud even had to stop and double tie my shoe lace, never happened before - and I got to run with the mayor of our town, that was fun a little American legion Veterans Day basket fund raising run... There are always about 6 races or more going on any given weekend, I love the south!!!! Happy on the slick road my shoes stayed put, I was very worried since they get very slick and after my fall last week I pretty much prayed the whole time not to slip! The cops even shut down part of the highway for us to run, that was way cool, and they were all taking photos of us at the check points - I kept telling them I wasn't speeding lol.

Great day to be alive and to be a runner!!!! I read something in a magazine the other day that says cherish every run because we physically "can" get out there and do this when there are so many people who can't... It's very true.

Oh and thanks for the Gatorade idea, never even thought about it - I'll pick some up! I actually dry heaved at the finish line of my race today... ;(

Varda, I am jealous of your 70 degrees now, but this summer it was much nicer running weather up here in Minnesota.

Beth, I chew gum while I run. Want to say I got the idea from Varda. It eliminates the cotton mouth.

Kathleen, I'm laughing at you sliding off the toilet! That's amazing. I also like the Apple headphones - they're the only ear bud style ones that will actually stay in my ears.

Varda, I am jealous of your 70 degrees now, but this summer it was much nicer running weather up here in Minnesota.

Beth, I chew gum while I run. Want to say I got the idea from Varda. It eliminates the cotton mouth.

Kathleen, I'm laughing at you sliding off the toilet! That's amazing. I also like the Apple headphones - they're the only ear bud style ones that will actually stay in my ears.

In the summer AM, it's awesome.

It was 45 degrees this morning when I rode the bicycle, that's about as cold as I want to be on the bike. I could probably stand a little colder running, we'll see.

Put almost 35 miles on the bike since yesterday, will try for a run tomorrow depending on how my knee feels.

It was 45 degrees this morning when I rode the bicycle, that's about as cold as I want to be on the bike. I could probably stand a little colder running, we'll see.

Put almost 35 miles on the bike since yesterday, will try for a run tomorrow depending on how my knee feels.

You get a lot more of a breeze on the bike than you do during a run so I imagine it feels better a little warmer. Nice ride the past couple days!

I've had to take a few days off of running. I started limping a couple of days ago. The pain was between the toe joint and the arch of my right foo, along the inside. It hurts when I bend my foot at the toes to walk. It's just about gone now (no pain; just feels a tad stiff when I walk) and I'm going to go for a run tomorrow and see how it goes.