Awesome.

I asked some of my Team in Training buddies to meet me at 5 this morning to run. I was quite pleased that they agreed...and without much convincing at all!

As soon as I woke up, I checked the weather. After my mistake of not dressing with enough layers last week, I know it is important to check. 19 degrees. Gulp. Windchill: 14 degrees. Buck up, sunshine! You're doing it!

We had a group of six. My friend Nickki who never runs early. Who had never run 6 miles before. Who doesn't run in the cold. Sonya is doing RNR San Diego. She alleged last week that she's training for the full, but only doing the half. We peer pressured her into doing the full. Go Sonya! (Sonya's boyfriend ran with us as well.) The "Seattle Team" was represented as well - not just by me, but with Yvette and Michele, too. Seattle RNR is a first for all three of us.

Nickki, Sonya, Me, Yvette, Michele

The run was great. Mentally I was a bit foggy for at least 3 or 4 miles. After that, I was finally able to relax in and enjoy the run. And Nickki was a total rockstar. Survived the cold, the early running time and ran a mileage PR. Go Nickki! She ended up with ice in her hair, which was quite humorous.

1 - 9:56

2 - 9:26

3 - 9:52

4 - 9:30

5 - 9:28

6 - 9:24

Here is a second shot of our group. I have some sort of mental disorder that makes me think I am about 4 inches taller than I actually am. It isn't until I see evidence in a picture that I realize that I am, indeed, short.

Thanks for the inspiration, running buddies - in person and in blog land. You all rock.

*I also got in my workout yesterday. I biked 10 miles. No Yoga, though. Girls night out dinner, instead. My ankle felt pretty great this morning, so maybe taking a day off from running to cross train is a good call.