An open letter to outdoor running

Hi outdoor running,

I know I've been neglecting you recently.  Sure, we still had our weekend long runs, but once a week isn't quite the same, is it?  I'll admit, I was sucked in by the treadmill and its adjustable speed and incline and climate controlled environment!  And I could watch Mike & Mike and get my sports fix as the miles flew by.  I told myself it was too dark and cold to be running outside and that it was all the same thing anyway.  That running was running, no matter where I was.

But somewhere in January my motivation went missing.  I've kept plowing through the workouts in my training plan, hoping I would find it somewhere along the way.  Last night, I realized that maybe my new fancy friend the treadmill was part of the problem.  I wanted to just run without thinking about it.  I didn't want to have to decide on a pace - I wanted my cranky legs to do what they wanted to do.  So I decided I would pull out the warm clothes, suck it up, put on that headlamp I got for Christmas that I has been gathering dust for weeks and run outside.  And you know what?  I was actually excited!  I went to bed imagining a run full of rainbows, unicorns, puppies and other happy things.

I don't know if it was the power of positive thinking, or something else, but it really was like that this morning!  I wasn't worried about pace, I was just running.  My sore, tired legs felt great.  My weekday loop that I was sick of last October was interesting again.  And I finished with a huge smile on my face.  Do I think this is the end of my running blahs?  Not really, but it's a step in the right direction.  For 45 minutes this morning I was really happy.  A feeling I never get on the treadmill...

So, outdoor running, I owe you an apology!  I dumped you without a second thought and figured we'd get back together in the spring.  But it turns out you aren't as easily replaceable as I thought.  It turns out I missed you and I didn't even realize it.  I promise not to neglect you any longer!  I can't lie say that I won't ever go back to the treadmill (addictions take a while to break and I really do love Mike & Mike), but I am recommitting to you and bringing back at the outdoor morning run.  Thanks for waiting patiently for my return.

Allison