Reason #347 to run in the morning instead of evening

Dogs.  There are more dogs out and about in the evening.  More on that in a bit.

I slept in this morning, and I would guess that 95% of the time that I choose to try to get more sleep rather than get up and run I regret it.  Today was no exception.  I slept fairly well last night, and when I let the dogs out at 5:30 this morning the air was cool, the moon was bright, and I should have gotten out the door for my run.  But I started back at Crossfit this week (Monday evening and Tuesday morning workouts), and I felt sore and tired.  However, I always feel tired in the morning.  It doesn't matter what time I wake up--I am a bad waker-upper...rarely do I feel energized and hop out of bed.  But once I get out the door and around the block on a run, I start to feel that energy, and by mile 1 I usually feel good.  Even on a bad run day I feel good to have gotten out of bed.  Since I missed my run this morning, I knew that would mean fitting in a run after work.  I dislike evening runs--it means having to very carefully watch what and when I eat so I avoid cramps.  It means taking time away from other things that need to get done after work.  And it means that there are more dogs out and about that impede my run. 

If I had gotten up this morning, I would have run 5 miles.  So that's what I had in my head for this afternoon.  I convinced Brian to ride his bike alongside Fredo and I while we ran--and I had no idea if I'd even make it a mile my legs were SO sore from Crossfit.  Weighted walking lunges rear their ugly soreness 36 - 48 hours after completion.  Ow.  As I started the run, my legs were so tight I couldn't even maintain my regular stride.  I didn't know if I could make it more than a mile, but I kept going.  We encountered a couple of dogs out for walks, and then a couple that were not on leashes.  One pit bull mix that luckily didn't attack Fredo, but certainly could have.  And then the second was a big dog playing with some kids--of course no collar, no control over the dog.  He kept following us, and although he didn't act aggressively, Fredo does not like dogs jumping on him, so he could have tried to bite the other dogs.  Anyway...I never have this problem in the mornings.  So, reason #347 to just get up and run: avoid annoying dogs.