Last Saturday of SummerStreets 2012!

How did the runners get to have pretty much all of summer streets to themselves (at least early this morning)?

Have it rain :)

Runners are out there no matter what, especially those of us training for something. Who in their right mind would be out there for a joy ride?! It was nice not having to dodge the bikes. Although there were some and they were all wearing ponchos. I couldn't figure out why, though. They were closer to taking flight than keeping dry, IMHO.


Honestly, the rain almost deterred me, too. Once I got out there and remembered how much fun running in the rain could be, it was awesome! The first time I had ever run in the rain was for the RNR PRovidence, RI Half. It rained the entire 13.1 miles and then some. If you're going to run in the rain, I think it's best that it stays raining the entire time. . it starts to suck when it stops and the sun comes out. But that didn't happen until I was in my last mile. 

The alternative would've been running in 90 degree humidity. Not a fan. For the 1st time in months I felt like I was really running, not just trying to break through the humidity. Knowing my pace would've been awesome today. Funny, My Garmin decided it didn't want to charge again. I'm getting really pissed off about it. Unfortunately, I can't throw it and step on it like I want bc I bought the BIA but that won't come out until at least March? Ugh. Before all that, I was planning on running downtown this time, so I could run the entire 7 miles of free streets and Brooklyn Bridge, but I couldn't do math as easily when the streets aren't numbers downtown, so I stuck to what I knew and ran up to 23rd then back- I also didn't want to rick getting sick in the AC again this weekend.

Can we please give thanks to those volunteers who stood out there all day, and especially today in the rain?! That's super awesome of them. I tried to tell everyone I passed thank you, but most of them looked at me funny so I changed to just smiling and saying good morning. At one of the crossovers, one guy said he had volunteered all 3 weekends. I told him he was my hero, that takes special kind of crazy patience. But seriously, they were awesome.

The only major complaint I have about summer streets (besides the cyclists) is there are no bathrooms! I don't like to go into a starbucks just to pee, especially when I'm super drenched. I thought about peeing myself twice (what? don't runners do that sometimes? right? I swear I've seen it. Do you even know how hard it is to pull your body up a hill with a full bladder?! ) but that would not have been cool and I could not convince myself otherwise. I finally gave in and went to starbucks. Most awesome thing about wearing black on black in the rain? No one can tell that you're soaking wet! And a super soaked runner was in line in front of me, so I didn't feel so bad. I probably shouldn't have been drinking so much but that's what I'm used to doing in the summer.

I got home rolled and stretched. For the 1st time in a long time, the only thing that hurt were my feet (the only major downfall to running in the rain are the possible blisters. Boo) and after 10 miles, I feel energized and I'm ready to have a great day. Can it rain for the rest of the summer?! Please?