That's a first...

While driving home from the dog show around lunchtime, I felt how tense and strained I was and thought, "Boy, I could really use a run right now."

(I should note that the dog show was not the source of 95% of the stress--it was the drive down there that completely wigged me out! I spun out on the ice while trying to brake on a hill. No one was hurt and my car did not bump anything or anyone, but it was very scary! I was still shaking ten minutes later when I pulled into the show site.)

I certainly never would have had that thought a year ago: Reduce stress and fatigue by going for a run. But I did today, and lo and behold, it was a balmy 27 degrees outside (albeit with a wind chill of 17), so not only did I go for a run, I ran outside. I was richly rewarded for my efforts: as I came around a corner near mile 3, the setting sun filled the sky with a gauzy orange glow before fading to the subdued pinks and purples of dusk in winter.

And even though I was really trying for an "easy" pace, I still covered 3.27 miles in 35:07 for a 10:44 pace per mile. I must actually be getting faster.