Morning

I left the house at 5:40 this morning to get in a walk before the family woke up. A run would have been better, but I'm torn between the good exercise and a loving 12-year-old three-legged best friend who would have his feelings crushed if I left him at home. As it was, he was huffing and puffing. There were a couple of immediate realizations - the first was that it is ridiculously loud in my neighborhood at 5:40. I know it's spring, but every bird in Northern Virginia must live on my street or at least eat breakfast here. The second thing that came to me was the total irritation that other people were awake (gasp!) and not only were they awake, but some actually had the audacity to be fully dressed for work and standing at the bus stop. This hugely minimized my accomplishment of getting myself out of bed.

My husband initially told me that my idea for morning exercise was stupid. Or rather, I must not know myself well enough to fully picture the cranky disaster that he was sure would fight the alarm clock (all the while subjecting him to the snooze repetition) and never actually get up. I listened to him until last night, when at 5:45 pm I decided that I was ready for a break from my family, a cold beer, and a good cry simultaneously. It is fairly impossible for me to have the strength and energy to leave the house and exercise once both kids are asleep. Not totally impossible, but very close. So we have entered what he has now proclaimed, "Phase One." Apparently P1 involves me taking a brief 20 minute walk each morning this week with the dog and then proving to him and to myself that regular morning activity is possible. If I pass, then he'll support "Phase Two." I'm not even sure what P2 involves according to him, but he assures me that it will help me get ready for the sprint tri in July. I'm not sure it will help as much as the trinewbies.com 10 week plan, but it should do something. I took the dog out again tonight for a bit longer of a walk after dinner. Poor thing. He couldn't come up the steps when we got home. What to do... Leaving him at home will no doubt cause a pathetic episode of crying and pacing that will completely defeat the point of sneaking out when the everyone else is still asleep.