Getting Back In The Groove

So, it's supposed to hit somewhere around 50* today here on Long Island, so I figured I'd better get outside and run. I can't remember the last time I ran outside. It was possibly the 10k back in September! I'm always more nervous running outside than on the treadmill. Maybe it's because I do it so seldomly! Anyway, I was all layered up- had on my jogging tank, a long sleeve tech shirt, a t-shirt and a fleece over that so I could keep my iPod and my phone in the pocket. I also had on some mittens and my running capris. I was concerned my legs would be cold, but that never became an issue.

When I pulled into the parking lot at the track, I saw a car I recognized from the gym. It belongs to a man I see there almost every day. When I'm not running on the treadmill, I'm always next to him on the arc trainer. We never say two words to each other, usually because we're wearing earbuds and into the music or tv show we're listening to. I didn't even know he ran! When I got onto the track I gave him a courtesy wave as he ran past me. I warmed up with a .25 mile walk and then got on my way. I was averaging a 9-minute mile the 1st two miles, always half of a lap behind this man. (Isn't it terrible I STILL don't know his name???) So, when I was getting done with mile 4, this man had finished and was walking back to the turnstile. I waved again and he smiled at me and started talking, so I took out my earbuds. He then gave me the biggest compliment I've gotten in such a long time!! He said, "YOU'RE PRETTY FAST FOR A LITTLE GIRL!!" Of course I can't take a compliment, so I then tell him that I started out at like a 14-minute mile and that I've been working on my speed at the gym. What I should have said was "THANK YOU! THAT MEANS A LOT TO ME!" Well, I'll have that opportunity the next time I go to the gym, I guess.

For some reason it was off my +.25 miles. I only ran 6.