These are a few of my favorite things...

This morning Shy dog and I went for a run. Well, Shy went for a run, and I held on for dear life. I think it's time to get her a harness, the collar just isn't cutting it. But, I digress.

The weather this morning was stunning. Not stinging, but stunning. There's still bits of snow on the ground, but I didn't feel like I was swallowing knives everytime I took a breath. The sunny was shinning, and I was alive.

It took about 40 minutes of hem-hawing around before I kicked my own ass out the door. I didn't plan to take the dog along, but she knew what I was doing and was bound to see herself going with me. Fine, she makes me run faster, anyway.

We jogged around a newer route and then came back to a familar home stretch. It was then I started thinking about the hardest runs and how they ended up being some of my favorite memories.

My first 10 mile run. Julie and I had a mapped out route through the plaza and brookside. It was the first weekend in January 2007. The temperatures were probably in the teens. Dawn started with us as well, but eventually it was Just Jules and I beebobbing along to our iPods and muffled footsteps on frozen pavement. The end of the run was one of my most triumphant.

Another favorite was the icicle run. The ice icile run was a 6 mile run on what was supposed to be chat, but was actually snowed and frozen ground. Oh, and it was in the middle of an ice storm. No really. MotoMichele and I layed claim to the wintry sights around us. It was so incredibly painful. When we made it back to her truck, we both found that our hair was frozen, and the snot inside our muffled up noses was as hard as a rock. Then we went to QuickTrip and loaded up on HotChocolate (that's a recovery drink, right?) and I had my first ever ClifBar.

I also loved my first 18 mile run in the summer with Julie along the same grounds as the icicle run, but this is winter, so we'll talk about that more in like, oh, July.

These runs are some of my favorite moments. I'm excited to find more this go-around.

I've also picked out a coach, but I haven't told them yet. And, RedMan registration opened today, and after a quick peek at the bank account, it looks like I'm hold off to probably Friday before I sign up. Thankfully it doesnt fill in seconds like every other Iron distance race does, so I have that option. Things are really going to be different this time training for IM. I cut up all the credit cards, so now I fly on the cash in my pocket, which means being a little more careful on how much cash I dump where and why.

But no matter what, I'm growing more excited...