virtual reality run

i thought i’d do something a little different . . .
with this post! i worked half of a shift today from 10 am to 3 pm, and at 7:30 AM i realized that it was going to be either running or blogging — not both! the weather was a crisp 48 and it was blindingly sunny, so i just coulnd’t resist. i headed out.

BUT — instead of dry stats, i thought perhaps i’d try to share the run with you! the path that i frequent is so pretty, and i have grown to know and love its gentle slopes and curves. i’m a total creature of HABIT/ROUTINE (duh), so i actually love having one path that is ‘the usual.’ of course, i can add to it (like i did today) or subtract to alter the mileage, but it always begins and ends the same way!

i brought our flip video camera with me, since it’s super-light and easy to carry, and i stopped at a few key points. it probably detracted from the value of my workout a little, but hopefully it was worth it! here goes . . . a pictorial (and video!) tour of my AM chapel hill run routine. the goal: 8 miles at 10K pace + 40 seconds.

heading out! my sun-dappled street. i don’t have to contend with too much traffic here.

right near whole foods and trader joe’s (where i need to head shortly!)

a turn, and then it’s down this treelined street back to the booker creek trail

the path is about 0.8 miles from end to end, even though this sign says 0.85

i love this path!

into the ‘enchanted forest’ portion of our run. so much green . . .

and our naturalistic grand finale: some video!

i tried to capture more of the run on film, but i don’t have photo editing software that allows me to put multiple short clips together! you probably didn’t want to hear me much longer than a minute, anyway. excuse the odd pronunciation of ‘roll’ midway through. i sound part southern, part speech-impaired. i am neither.

the dry stats: 8 miles in 1:06:44, average 8:20 pace (with a few film-making stops along the way — and yes i stopped my watch!)

TO DO
☑ plan out this week’s dinners
☑ grocery shop
☑ read
☑ clean the bathroom
☑ take out trash
☑ get more sleep
☑ laundry
☑ catch up on top model

aaaaaaand, it’s already 5 pm. i guess i will have to triage. it’s like the ED all over again!

☑ plan out this week’s dinners – level 1
☑ grocery shop – level 1
☑ read – level 3
☑ clean the bathroom – level 3
☑ take out trash – level 1
☑ get more sleep – level 2
☑ laundry – level 4
☑ catch up on top model – level 5. unfortunately.

maybe we’ll do a whole foods salad bar dinner / stock the kitchen trip. i actually really need a vegetable and vitamin infusion as i’ve been eating like a picky 13 year old, hence the highly prioritized shopping trip and meal planning. the couch is looking really tempting right now, though. ahhh . . . we’ll see!