Another run

I couldn't resist the balmy weather this afternoon and instead of going to the Y, I headed out for my second run of the day after work.

I don't typically run twice in a day. The few times I've done it have usually been for a specific reason. Today it was "just because."

I didn't attempt 800s or any speed work (that WOULD be excessive). In fact, I ran the first two miles without my Garmin (explanation below). These were surely junk miles, if there is such a thing, run primarily for calorie burning and mile accumulation. I don't believe that any run is wasted, though. Every run has some purpose to me.
I was dismayed as I geared up to head out to realize my Garmin was "missing," not in its charger. Of course I knew where it was--I had brought it to work to download data. I was prepared to go Garmin-free, but decided instead to run to the office (about a mile away) and pick it up.

But when I rummaged around my desk there was no Garmin! So it had to be at home after all, or in my car. So I ran back home. I peered into the car and didn't see anything, so I went back in the house and there it was in my lunch bag, where I had looked before unsuccessfully. I'm counting that initial distance as two miles, even though it is undocumented.

I headed out again for another three or four miles, measured. I have a 5K loop from my house that I sometimes do (it's great for walking, too). It's a great loop because of the distance, not the route. At one point it passes a house where there was a shooting a couple months ago...maybe not the BEST neighborhood. But it was only 6:30 or so, not the dead of night.

My legs felt a little tired but not too bad. Even with the Garmin on, it was too dark to monitor my pace, so I was running free. About a 10:20 average pace, it turned out.

I went a few blocks past my house then turned back towards Starbucks. I got to SBUX just past the four mile mark (not including the two miles sans Garmin).

I popped into Starbucks to get a short mocha post-run treat. I then discovered that I had forgotten the free drink card that I had meant to use. Luckily I had a Starbucks card with me, as I had ALSO forgotten to bring money. Brilliant!

Tomorrow is definitely a day off running!
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