Week 7: "S" is for Speedy! "S" is also for Silence.

My daughter is going to a summer Pre-K program this summer. Every day their homework is to think of words that start with the letter of the day. Tuesday was "S" Day. Tuesday was also my 2-mile run. Instead of running a slow 2 miles like my training program recommended, I decided to run the first mile as a speed test and the second mile as a cool-down. When I got home and woke my daughter, I felt inspired. Here is what I told her on the way to school (with emphasis on the letter "S"):

I was Sleeping Soundly when my alarm clock Startled me. I Slipped out the door, drove to my Selected route, and Started to run. I was Supposed to run Slowly, but instead I Sprinted Some of the way. I was Speedy. I felt Superb. When I finished, I was Sweaty and a little Stinky. I Stretched, Showered (with lots of Sudsy Soap and Shampoo) and Sipped water. I put on a clean Shirt, Shorts, Socks and Shoes, woke my Sweet girl, packed a Sack lunch, and Set off to School. Such a Super Start to my day! (That would be 31 S words, in case you weren't counting).

Today was a 7-mile run. I have been listening to the audio book "The Brief and Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao" on my iPod for long runs. I'm almost done with the book (apparently Oscar's brief and wondrous life will soon come to an end?) and I was looking forward to story time. At 0.2 miles in, the sound cut out. I thought maybe my iPod battery was dead. Instead, it was the earbuds. I've been fiddling with those darn things for months. I only wear the right earbud for safety reasons (must be able to hear traffic) so I cut off the left. The cord was tied in at least three knots because it was too long. All that adjustment left the cord a little frayed. When it finally gave out today, I ditched it and kept going.

I ran for over an hour with no audio book and no music. To keep my mind occupied, I played the game that we play every morning on the way to Pre-K. I chose a letter, and thought of as many words as possible that start with that letter. Without a kid, I didn't have to censor myself ("C is for Crackhead") and I didn't have to explain obscure words ("A is for Anomaly"). It actually kept me entertained the whole way, although I am definitely planning on replacing those earbuds before my next run.