Creative Running

I've been frustrated with my lack of running.  Most years, I completely shift gears in the summer, and hardly run at all.  This year, I'm trying to keep it up, but I'm finding it hard to justify running in the middle of day heat.  Last night I finally broke down and got some creative miles in. 

I decided to run laps around my house with a baby monitor after my kids went to bed.  We have made a few trails on our sloping property.  I wasn't sure I could make a loop long enough, but I was happy to see that it was about 1/4 mile long, and it certainly is hilly, with a couple of steep grades.  I ran the first lap in 1:45, which based on my effort, seemed equivalent to the 7:00 minute mile pace this would work out to be.  My laps got progressively slower as the humidity (plus the temp - still 80 degrees out at 8:15PM) and the hills got to me.  I ended up running 4 miles - 4 laps one way then switching direction for 4.  This definitely helped with the monotany, as each direction had it's challenges.  The darkness was also a challenge, as I didn't finish up until 8:45PM.  My miles: 7:16/7:45/7:50/8:23. 

That night, I decided I would try to get a few miles in before the kids awoke.  I got up earlier than I wanted (anxious to run) and was out the door at 5:58AM.  I ran 3 miles on the roads in 20:53, and then stopped to see if anybody was stirring in the house.  I then ran 4 laps on my new house trail.  My legs felt really tired on the hills.  I noticed my son was downstairs, so finished up an extra 2 laps for a morning total of 4.5 miles. 

I had also decided that on my lunch break I would try hiking or jogging down to the water (Narr. Bay) at Rome Point and going for a swim.  When 1 o'clock rolled around, I was considering just getting a iced coffee and reading, but I mustered up the energy to stick with the original plan.  I ran about 2 miles down to the water and then jumped into the bay.  I did a rather short, lackluster swim and then got out and dried off.  I jogged another 2 miles back to my car, and was content with my creative running for the past 18 hours.