It has been a long while since I have done an early morning run.  My schedule has worked out to where I can get runs in just after work and before I pick the kids up from school.  Or I can get a run in when my son is practicing baseball.  But today’s schedule would not give me the time I needed, so I decided to rise and shine and run.

When Lukas Lamb talked me into signing up for the Mark Twain Endurance Run I started looking for motivation.  The rise and shine video really spoke to my inner drive.  I started running.  Every time I feel myself not wanting to run I watch that video.  It inspires me to go run and to push forward.  I keep the ultimate goal in my mind and just run.  I run when I don’t want to.  I run when it rains.  I run when it is hot.  I run when it is dark and when it is light.  I just run.

This morning was about myself.  When I stepped outside, the sun was starting to come up, but it was still dark enough where I couldn’t see the time clearly on my watch.  I was immediately inspired.  I was up before the sun and it felt great!  The only sounds were that of nature and the pack of coyotes off in the distance.  My run started with a nice simple warm-up down the road and back.  Before I knew it I was on the gravel road that leads to a horse barn.  I pushed down and back on this road and then headed out of the neighborhood.  The pace I had set felt good and I told myself that I was going to do 20 minutes out and 20 back.  “Steady Brown…Steady.”  But to my surprise, when I got to 20 minutes I was only .2 away from 2.5 miles completed.  Why stop now?

I wanted to continue on past 2.5 miles, but time was not on my side.  Reluctantly the turn around happened at 2.5 miles.  The rest of the run was great!  I only saw 1 car and it was nothing but me and the birds…and the pack of coyotes I could still hear in the distance.

Morning runs are definitely going to start happening more and more.  I loved the peace and quiet.  I loved the coolness of the air and I also loved hearing the coyotes.

“I am a great champion; when I ran the ground shook and the skies opened and mere mortals parted the way to victory” ~Dreamer