Training Day 20: Taking it outside!

I have been starting to run outside a little more. Being on Long Island for a few days for spring break, I had a quiet, sunny morning to myself. So, I threw on my running shoes and headed down a beautiful, cool country lane. Not knowing how far I would be going, I decided to just run and clock it later. Also, I decided to put away the timer and listen to my body. As I started to run, I made targets for myself to run to. Then I would push myself to make it to that goal (like a fire hydrant or another street sign). Whenever I walked, I would try to just walk to catch my breath and then start jogging again. It felt so good to feel the wind on my face just as I was getting overheated. It was like God was cooling me off and keeping me going. You can't get that in a gym. After running/walking for about 40 minutes, it felt good to cool down. Running outside on a spring morning after a rain storm was so refreshing. Later when I clocked it with my car, it turned out to be about 2.5 miles. Yeah! I will continue to keep on running outside when I can. My ankle seems to prefer it to the treadmill and I can get a moment alone with my thoughts and connect to nature, breathing in some fresh air and filling my body with energy for the day ahead.