11 September 2007

Sun Setting on Summer

The weight of the summer sun has taken its toll on the sky. Heavy and cumbersome, the sun has become too much for the sky to keep up all day and is let down earlier and earlier. I'll blink, and it will be winter.

Four years in the Northwest and it has been so hard getting used to the dark winters (it gets dark at 4pm!)-- so hard that here I am dreading about it already and it isn't even October yet. Patience, Daniel-san. Patience.

Just a month ago Sadie and I would head for the trails after work and there would be three hours of sunlight left in the day. Tonight half the 5.5 mile run was after the sun dropped behind the trees.

My legs are in for the shock of their life this weekend. I keep telling them it's going to be tough and they keep telling me "don't worry, we'll be fine." Okay, but don't look at me for pity this weekend.

I'm taking it easy this week. A little running, but mostly stretching, icing, heating, rolling, yodeling, ironing, and meditating. Hopefully it will be enough. :)

Today - 5.5 miles

Keep running!

Scott

17 comments:

  1. The yodeling should be good preparation.

    I used to live in Northern MN, and the sun set there in the winter around 4 pm as well, and every winter I struggled with it. Here in FL, we have a bit longer day (and almost every day is warm and sunny), but the sun still sets earlier in the winter and it's always weird to make the adjustment.

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  2. It's not the sun setting at 4:00 that is hard for me, but the fact that it rises later and later. I'm starting out in about 5 minutes in the dark, and it'll just be getting light when I finish. Soon the entire run will be dark. The best thing is in March when it starts to lighten again.

    And, I don't think ironing is good for your legs. You should give it up!

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  3. ROFLMAO Jess!

    I hate this time of year. When the rising and setting of the sun changes. Totally stinky.

    Don't worry I won't pity you this weekend, I'll be laughing at you :P KIDDING!!! You're going to do AWESOME ;D ;D ;D ;D

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  4. The die has been cast! Good luck. Run smart! You'll be awesome.

    Yes! MOTR! I like that. The sun does indeed rise...

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  5. What?!.. no whitch dances? You will rock it thos weekend and your legs will follow where your heart and mind leads them.

    Be smart and use it as a training run. You have miles of heavy mileage weeks ahead of you so just relax and have fun.

    This time of year is so weird. We want it to cool off but we hate the shorter days. Kindof depressing!! You better be nicer to the treadmill and show it some love. Something tells me that you will be sharing more time with your new friend. Sorry Sadie!

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  6. Even as I look forward to a bit of cool I do not look forward to trying to squeeze runs in before 6 pm. I don't think I would like it being dark even earlier. I have some ironing I just shipped out UPS...let me know when it arrives.

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  7. It's kind of backwards for us here in Arizona. We look forward to fall and the end of the heat and perfect running weather while the rest of the country is pretty much the opposite.

    All the best with your race this weekend. Run smart and enjoy!

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  8. I hear you, so lately I've been packing my workout clothes with me to work, so I can change when I get off work, head straight to the trails while the hubby retreives the kiddo.

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  9. People still iron??? :)

    I get so sad when I think about how long winter is. Total bummer. I guess the changes are good, I too, get really excited in March.

    Be smart, be safe, have a great time!! Can't wait to hear about it...

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  10. Oh man I hate winter for the short days...it makes it so much harder to get decent runs in before it's dark...and at least in College Park you don't walk around at night by yourself haha!

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  11. Fall is definitely around the corner, isn't it!? The sad thing is, here in ND, it's hard to really know for SURE when summer ends, fall begins, fall ends, and winter begins. ... it seems like it all happens in the blink of an eye!

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  12. You're a brave man Scott taking on the 50K with the lead up you've had. All the best man.

    Hey and thanks for sending the sun down my way, wont be long now and I'll be enjoying those long hot summer evenings.

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  13. Big fat good luck Saturday.

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  14. goo luck this weekend!!! hope all goes well for you!

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  15. Rock the race this weekend!!! Can't wait to hear the report!!

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  16. Very poetic. I too lament the end of summer runs in the daylight when I have to give up Bonelli until spring again.

    I'm working my way to the race report, woot!

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