Aren't we the Sunshine State?

So today was supposed to be 9 miles, according to my JG training. However, I'm getting over a cold/flu and didn't know if I would be able to do it all.

I planned to walk 3x around my Westside Park route, but after about a MILE, I realized that a) it was cold as hell outside, b) I did not dress properly for said temperatures and c) I still felt like crap.

I finished the first circle of the route, then decided to just walk where the sun was. From the corner of 8th and 34th, I walked back up to 16th, then back. At that point, I was feeling okay and figured that if I could stay in the sun, I could get at least 5 or 6 miles done. I stood at that intersection and decided that walking towards University Avenue had the most sun. So I walked all the way down to University Avenue and 34th Street - the intersection with a Checkers and a Grandy’s.

All feeling good, so far, I turn around to go back to the park and the WIND CAME UP! That made the temps - that were already only 37* - feel like they were 10* cooler! Walking back to the car (about a mile) was hell!!! I forwent the stretching, like I normally do, and just cranked the heater and drove home. I ended up doing 5.12 miles, in near-freezing temps, with an average pace of 18mm.

I'm sitting here now in fleece jammies, fuzzy socks AND a huge fleece robe with the heater pointed below my desk (to give me a cave of warm) and a cup of hot cocoa (with marshmallows, of course!), trying to warm up. I've been home for 20 minutes and I am not warm. Also, I'm coughing like a little asthmatic bitch, so that's fun.

However, with all the bitching, I am so proud of myself for getting out of bed, for getting dressed, for getting out of the house and into the car, for walking anyway, even though it was cold, and uncomfortable, and freezing!! I've come a long way, but I have so much more to go.