Rainy With a Chance of Donuts

Here is the deal: it's not always about self -discipline and self sacrifice. Sometimes it's just about doing what you want. Sure, in committing to the long run, you are committing to doing something very hard. You are saying you understand it's going to be painful, but you are willing to do what it takes. You will give up late nights drinking, long mornings sleeping, and any chance of ever having presentable feet again. But trust me, for all of this, you deserve a little reward. Treat yourself!!  I am very good at treating  myself. If you ever need a lesson in how to give yourself a well deserved reward, just ask me. I've got it down. 

I was looking forward to this week's long run all week. The forecasters were predicting beautiful weather. Lows in the fifties, highs just barely in the eighties, and zero chance of rain. If you live around here, you know days like this don't come around often. I was checking the weather all day on Saturday planning my long run and I was so excited to take advantage of the wonderful Fall weather (yes, around here Fall is eighties). So, as I'm eating my Luna Bar and hydrating early this morning, I hear it. I hear the pitter patter of raindrops on the window. WHAAAAT!?!?  This is not what I signed up for. The weather channel had me sold on a cool, sunny, dry run. And as I'm thinking that I must have been looking at weather for some other city, the sky opens up and it starts to pour. And just in case you're wondering what I was thinking planning my long run in the rain, this is what the weather channel was saying as I'm watching it pour down:

Lesson learned. Never trust the weather channel. Ever. And, never let yourself be disappointed by things you have no control over. I can't control the weather. Because if I could, I would say I've been doing a pretty terrible job of it lately. What I can do is control my reaction to situations that are out of my hand. I can choose to run no matter what. When it's not the easiest or most convenient thing to do, I can still choose to run. 

So, after a quick wardrobe change (thank goodness for run rain jackets and visors - yeah I said it, visors. Running is the only activity in which visors and fanny packs are considered essential), off I went for 9 miles in the steady rain. 

Because I pressed hard yesterday for pace and because I had to skip my rest day and because the rain was coating the road making it slippery, I decided to take it easy. They say the important part of a long run is just logging the miles, so that's what I resolved to do. I made the soggy miles without more than a few quick glances at my pace. I just let my body do what it wanted and ran on. 

Now on to the reward part. I did the hard part. I chose to run on even when conditions weren't desirable.  That was hard, I needed a reward. I needed a reason to run. So, this is where I calculated my long run to end:

Yeah, that's right. When life gives you nine soggy miles, respond back with donuts and kolaches. Life is oh so sweet when you are on a sugar high. Really, runners, I recommend doing this if you can. A nice warm glazed donut right after a run is AHmazing!  Treat yourself. I promise you deserve it. 

Unless you are the jerk who thought it was funny to drive by me as fast as possible intentionally splashing the giant puddle you hit all over me. No donuts for you!  To you I send a special one fingered runner's wave.