A run in the rain

My best running pal.
     Tonight I had a 45 minute run on the schedule.  Steady pace, with a few 20 second accelerations.  Since it was raining, I decided I would go to the gym for my run.  There are people who dislike the treadmill.  And then, there's me.  I despise that machine with every fiber of my being.  But, I know, everyone complains about hating the treadmill, so I'm going to leave it at that.

     Suffice it to say that the belt of the treadmill sucked my will to fight out of me and I walked out of the gym 25 minutes later feeling defeated.  After a bad workout yesterday on the bike, I was feeling pretty bad about my training.  I drove to my parents' house to pick up Dooley.  As I was driving, I realized something.  The night wasn't over, and therefore, it's not a failed workout unless I decide to quit.  Sure I quit on the treadmill, but I hadn't quit on my run yet.

Drenched and Happy
When I got home, I leashed up my best nighttime running pal (I never run at night without Dooley or a companion) and set off to run the paved paths on the golf course in my parents' neighborhood.  There was a light rain coming down and it was just me, my thoughts, and Dooley on the golf course.  It was exactly the run I needed to get my mind right.  One bad workout doesn't define me, unless I let it.  And tonight, I refused to let it.  I got back to the place where running was fun and to the place where I was confident in my ability to do what I love to do: just get out there and run.  It was the perfect run and tonight's run couldn't have turned out any better...Well ok, it could have turned out a little better.  Dooley was a mess and a bath was in order as soon as we got home.  No one likes a Golden Retriever with mud caked on his fur.





          
Licking, his worst habit.  And it's usually a sneak attack. And yes, I love this running shirt. I wear it all the time (see last post).

Drying off the soaking wet puppy boy.

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