I haven't lost my edge....maybe

I was really glad to find out from the comments on my last post that so many other bloggers are Games of Thrones fans. I'm at a bit of a crossroads right now because I've dedicated half a year of my reading to this series, and while I'm dying to find out what happens next, I really want to take a break and read something else. 

To be completely honest, I'm not yet over the events from the third book. I'll defend my love of Twilight and Hunger Games to the grave, but I'm starting to wonder if all this young adult literature has made me soft and unable to handle real, grown up books.

Today is 12/12/12, and I know that's exciting because a date like that will never happen again in our lifetime, but much more importantly, it's my dad's birthday!

I'm also excited because I'm done with grad school for the semester, and today is the last day of my after school tutoring job. Anything that will allow me to be lazier than I already am is a cause for celebration.

So remember when I said I was going to take a break from training and do whatever I want? Apparently that was run. Because I've considered my exercise option for the past three days, and running won out each time. 

I will always find it strange when I can take pictures like this after I run. 

This run was in the evening, after dark, in December, yet I'm in shorts.

Monday night I achieved the holy grail of lazy speedwork - 7 miles in exactly one hour. That's what I shoot for when I sort of want to run fast but don't want to do even the tiniest bit of math or planning to construct an actual track workout or something.

Tuesday morning I ran 6 miles (9:35 pace) with Lily and Wednesday I did 7 miles at 9:02. Look at all this variety I can fit in now that I'm not training! I did the first four circuits of the torturous No More Trouble Zones after Tuesday's run, so my arms weren't totally forgotten about.

I'm ashamed to admit it but this morning was the first time I've woken up before work to run, all alone, since JFK. I've done P90X and run with Lily, but every time I tried to get my ass out of my warm, soft bed and out the door into the cold by myself has been a major fail. I've been waking up early to exercise since way back in college when I used to run before student teaching while the frat boys were still partying. Despite my long standing relationship with 5am (or earlier), I was really starting to fear I'd lost my edge. I wouldn't say this one morning run proves I didn't, but it's a step in the right direction.

Any new and exciting (and free) workout suggestions for me?

When would you work out in a perfect world? Ideally, it would be around 10 or 11am, when I've had coffee, breakfast, and feel fully awake. In this ideal world, I'm also getting paid to drink wine and watch The Office.