Sunrise

I guess I'm not a very good blogger. Now it seems like, if I have time to blog, I should probably just be out running.

But thank goodness for surprises like planning to run with a friend who wanted to leave before sunrise and who motivated me a lot.

Amena and I left at 5:30am and were beyond Belmont when the sun rose. It was extraordinary and pure pink. I told Amena she looked like a Hollywood star bathed in the rose-colored natural light, which I perceived as a normal compliment.

She looked at me funny.

The waves were crashing, although the lake looked perfectly still, farther out. All gorgeous.

I hadn't known about Fleet Feet's free Gatorade station at North Ave. That was an incredible discovery. I also took some G-Force carb gummy things, which worked great as sugary fuel.

Amena is running Chicago in a month so she broke away to do 18, and faster, at North Ave. She's amazing.

I turned at Navy Pier/Lake Point Tower, which seemed good enough for now. I did feel like I could keep going, which is a relief. But I'll save that for the next big one.

The lakefront is the best gift for training. To see other runners' posture and movements and faces. It's so helpful. I love the people who look like they're suffering more than the people who look like champs, but I need them both.

My inevitable funny moment (there's always something) was when I passed by the dismantling of the Flugtag ramp. Two half-naked stoners passed. One tried to high five me but had compromised spatial recognition and kind of punched me in the arm, instead. He is forgiven because he was cheerful and wasted. What are you gonna do?