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September 15, 2007

The Double-Edged Sword of Fall

This week, fall has decided to come to Chicago and it's been glorious. I'm wearing a jacket during the day and snuggling up with the cats in my sweats at night. While this summer was nowhere as brutally hot as last year's, I'm still more than ready to turn off the A/C for a good 8-10 months and put the flannel sheets on my bed. (The A/C is off, but since I'm sure we'll get another chunk of warmer weather before it cools off for good the flannel sheets are on hold.)

Anyhow, in checking today's weather last night, I discovered the high was 60. Immediately I made the decision that I was not going to get up early for today's long run. If 60 was as warm as it was going to get, then there was no need to get up at 5 so I could be out the door by 7. None whatsoever. Ahhhhh.

Around 7 I figured I'd get up for breakfast, and by the time I'd digested and actually gotten out the door it was just before 10. However, the weather was absolutely perfect, the run was good (with the exception of the total hissyfit my Forerunner threw, but, eh, whatever), and I felt incredibly well-rested. There was a down side, though: by the time I got home, stretched and showered, it was after 1. PM. My plans for the day? Were totally shot.

My original plan for the afternoon was to geocache my way up to a local apple festival where I would then purchase a variety of taste appley treats. And, sure, I could have done that if I ran out the door as soon as I got dressed, but that held absolutely no appeal for me, not to mention I had a couple hours worth of work I had to get done before doing anything. Maybe it's just me, but after a long run I need to relax, rehydrate, and just generally hang out and be lazy. If I have somewhere I absolutely have to be, I can do that, but otherwise? An hour or two of slug-time is greatly preferred.

So, instead, I'm hanging out watching the Michigan game and hoping it'll be a lot better than the past couple have. Geocaching has been postponed until tomorrow (when it's supposed to be equally nice, just a bit warmer), but the apple fest, which is today only, will just have to go. Sure, it runs until 5, so technically I could leave now and catch the end of it, but with that sort of thing going right before closing just means you have limited choices and run the risk of some vendors closing up early if they sell out. There's always next year (or taking a field trip out to an orchard) for super-fresh appley goodness.

I will say this, though - next week? I'll be up early, regardless of how cool it is. While there's something empowering about knowing that you've gotten a few hours of running in before 10 a.m., there's something mildly depressing about getting back from a run at 1 p.m. and realizing that half your day is shot, and all you've done is run. I'll happily take the earlier wake-up call.

Posted by Dawn at September 15, 2007 02:16 PM