My athletic club membership ran out and I couldn’t find the day passes I thought I had. I must have given them away. We might be buying a condo at the end of the week, but I didn’t want to wait until then to run.

So I took my butt out into the sunshine and onto the road.

Lesson learned: Treadmill progress does not equal road progress.

I kept to my four minute intervals, so at least I could do that, but it was NOT comfortable and I’m sure my speed overall and my distance were much lower than my treadmill time.

In other words, today’s run was a great success.

What, slower times, discomfort and backsliding are not success?  They will be tomorrow, when my body, which is cursing me right now for making it do more than it was prepared to do, adjusts all the levels, repairs all the muscles and ligaments, and stokes the internal fires, just like it always does when I shake things up.  

Getting out on the road today was not only the right thing to do.  It was the BEST thing to do.  I won’t be running Bloomsday on a treadmill.  I’ll be running it on asphalt, up and down hills.  In real weather.  Actually carrying my weight through air resistance and having to fight gravity.  

Running inside on a treadmill was the right thing to do when it was snowing and Denton Road was slick with ice.  Things have changed now.  It’s time to get out there and move.  

Who’s with me?