cRaZed Hitchhiker on the Loose...or just me hitting the streets at 5am

I went through all the motions of yesterday in anticipation of heading out to do 6 miles once I got home.  Yeah, that didn't happen.  I just could not make myself get out the door...probably because I didn't leave work until 7 and my car was still registering 104 degrees.  =/

I vowed to go to bed early so that I could wake up early to get my 6 miles in. 

Yeah...bed didn't come early.  I got this wild and crazy idea to download an audio book onto my iTunes account.  No, sillies...I didn't pay for it.  It was a "book" from the library, so I suppose I was really "ripping" it (my brother-in-law told me that was the right word).  I chose James Dashner's The Maze Runner.  I then replaced my iPod Shuffle music with the book.  Quite proud of myself, I headed to bed at 11pm.  I still dutifully set my alarm for 4am and hoped for the best.

My alarm went off at 4am and I did what I usually do...I reset it for 6am, BUT...then...I felt soooo guilty.  I just knew there was an imbalance in the world and that only I could solve it by hitting the pavement.  Apparently at 4am I have a whole lot of self-importance going on.

I don't know what it is with me and crack-of-dawn wake-ups, but it takes me FOREVER to get out the door.  So, this translates to I started my WALK (yes, still walking it out vs. running) at 5am.  No 6 miles for me with that late start.  =/

So, I geared up like a superstar - you know with my tunes, my Camelbak (overkill, yes, BUT I'm trying to get used to it for my upcoming The Hottest Half), my Road I.D., my Garmin, etc.  I'm pretty sure I looked like a crazed hitchhiker (who recently escaped from the circus or an assylum - whatever) to anyone who had the pleasure of seeing me.  I pressed PLAY and Chapter 1 started as I struggled through my first mile.

Something weird happened...apparently I didn't turn the shuffle function off, so the book started jumping from this to that.  I pulled over to try to fix the problem, but I couldn't, SO...I turned the whole thing off.  It made me a sad girl to have no entertainment.  =(

My first mile was wretched.  I keep having issues with tight calves no matter how much stretching I do.  I powered through it and eventually gained my momentum.  It's peaceful out there in the dark with very few peeps and very few cars.  I even saw a deer (or a cheetah, it was dark out) in the distance, so that kind of made my day.

When I made it back to my house, I was .10 mile shy of 4.75 miles, so I bypassed home to the end of the street and then came back.  4.75 miles / burned 696 calories / 15:48 pace.  I want to...need to go faster, so I'm hoping practice will make perfect before race day (8/14).

I do not recommend procrastination, by the way.  It is not paying off.

Oh and one last thing.  I HATE when the "terrain" I'm running or walking on changes.  It really messes with my head.  I'm talking dead grass in the street, pine needles, dirt, or just a change in materials - black top to cement.  Am I alone in this?  Please tell me I'm not!  I would be terrible at trail running!

After 4.75 miles (note:  same wardrobe as Sunday, but I promise it was clean when I started and that this is a new pic):

After a shower and some much needed makeup:

Happy Thursday to you all!