Random Thursday Run

Usually I make Thursday an off day. Don't ask me why, it just seems to fit nicely in after four days of running. Saturday is my other off day, which doesn't feel quite as nice, but Thursday is there, nestled in between days of running and the last day of work. It just fits. Since my running schedule has been off this week though, I decided to take it on the chin and go for a run today, in between regular school and night parent/teacher team school.  It's been rainy and a little chilly these past two days, which is perfect weather for October and for running.  Except that yesterday my regular short distance running shoes got soaked. Nala and I might have gotten a little too splash happy in all the puddles....So today I decided to wear my North Face Trail running shoes.  These are nice shoes, but they are supposedly meant for trail running, so I don't generally wear them on regular pavement runs. I figured they were built more for this type of weather than my Hoka's though, so I wore them for the run along the beach. Now, usually I like to attribute my successful runs to lots of factors outside of my control. Good shoes, Tailwind Nutrition, great weather, I can always find something other than myself that made my run the best run yet. Today however, I have to accept that as much as that stuff helps, a lot of it is just me and my training.  I ran 4 miles in 31:50, with hills.  My first two miles were in the 7s! That has NEVER happened to me, at least, not since high school track. The last two miles were in the 8s and as you might guess,that's where the hills came in.  Now, there was a bit of an ACTUAL tailwind on my first two miles, but then I also had to turn around and run back in the same direction, which meant there was also a headwind.  Basically, I rocked today's run on my own! Best run yet!
I'd love to insert the run here, but I don't think it works properly.  But, I'm going to hope it does and then later edit it if necessary.  In case it doesn't, here's a picture of me and Nala after our rainy run yesterday.