54- PSA

My PSA tonite is this: do not go to Border's and Target for 'quick errands' before your evening run.  Those two stores are total time sucks, and you will be in them for twice as long as expected.  Especially if you are easily distracted like me.  Allow me to explain...

After a lovely morning/early afternoon consisting of a nice windy 10 mile run (8:01 pace, not bad) and prep work (half way done with Physics planning, woo hoo!) I decided to go into the 'city' to do some errands and my second run there.  I went to Border's for one book (Animal, Vegetable, Miracle) and came out about 30 minutes later and with 2 books and a magazine.  I just start wandering and looking at books and before I know it, time has flown by!  Then, I went across to Target to get JUST a cooler.  My current cooler isn't very sturdy and is old and gross so I wanted to get a new one before the year starts.  Let me tell you, I don't understand how people operate with just lunch boxes or bags.  I need a serious family sized cooler to carry all my food.  I feel silly, but I've decided this is because:
a) I am a tree hugger and pack everything in reusable containers which take up more room than plastic baggies
b) I am OCD and hate packing stuff already assembled (ie salads/sandwiches get too soggy, so I like to pack the components seperately and put together before eating
c) I am gone sometimes for 14 hours from my apartment so there is atleast 2 meals and 2 snack to pack
d) I'm a runner.  I run around 100 miles a week right now.  I'm hungry alot.  I eat alot.  Duh.
Sooo, in the end, I found a decent cooler to help with the forementioned points.  Unfortunately, I also got distracted by the school supplies section.  Yeah, I'm kind of obsessed with school supplies.  The best part about being a teacher, is that I still have a reason to buy them! 
At this point it was well after 5pm.  I pulled into a road side park at the opposite end of town, but honestly I wasn't feeling running from there.  So, I just started driving and I realized that a neighboring small town that I had never run in was only 10 miles away.  And I knew the drive was pretty.  (think lots of rolling hills full of cherry orchards with Lake Michigan on the side).  So I went.  If you are a reader, you know by now I'm pretty random and spontaneous with my running.

I love the small towns up here, because they are so proud of their sports' teams.  Pulling into town, there was a sign that said "Elk Rapids:  Home of the 1997-98 Class 4 Soccer State Champs".  Lol.  Over 10 years old, and their still proud!  That was actually a fairly recent sign- I've seen one's in towns that date back to the 80s!  Crowning glory I tell ya...

So, I pulled into a marina and was off.  I was stiff at first, so I decided just to chill out.  I have a good knack for finding my way through towns and making loops even when I don't know the streets.  This route was a good one- through the downtown area, along the water, along the main road, and back through downtown.  It felt nice and chill, my stiff legs loosened up and I felt good by the end.  I felt even better when I got done and and saw I had hit 7:39 pace on an easy feeling run! :)  And, my first mile was 8:04 and the splits pretty much were negative from there, with the last two miles at 7:28 and 6:57!! respectively.  Happy days.  Then, I proceded to find this cool little secluded part of the beach where a river hit lake Michigan that was perfect for a swim.  And I had it all to myself!

At this point it was late and I had to high-tail it back to town to go to my favorite hippy coop one last time to pick up some things.  They were almost closed, but I grabbed the essentials and was off.  I am usually a BYO-bag girl (yay tree hugging) but I forgot today.  This is the type of place that gives you the stink eye for that!  The bagger packed all my groceries in one bulging paper bag.  Now, I'm all about saving the earth, but I'm not all about my $100000/lb organic grapes getting mushed, thank you.....

Since it was well past dinner time, my only option was to get Fro Yo again...obviously.  Which I am going to eat in about 4seconds.  I keep telling myself that I need to stop eating it for dinner every night, but it turns into 'starting tomorrow.'  Honestly, I eat really healthy/whole foods other than that, but something about settling in on the couch with fro yo.....comfort in a cup!

Ok, I'm off!  I can rest easy after a productive day, including 16 miles total that averaged well below 8min pace.  I feel fortunate tonite! :)