Out and about time

Granger's "safer" waterproofing spray

Today's workout (street run): 5.6 miles at 9:29 pace

The rain finally stopped this morning and I didn't waste any time getting out for a neighborhood run. For me, the experience of running on the treadmill versus running outdoors is very different. In that running outdoors actually provides enjoyment. There was still a fine mist in the air when I set out around 7:00 AM. I headed directly to neighborhood #3 because I haven't run there in a long time and I needed a change of scenery. My original plan was to run neighborhoods 2 and 3 and then cover a couple of miles in my own neighborhood. There was a lot of traffic on the service road that needed to be crossed to get to the other areas. Crossing over to #3 is safe because there's only one direction for traffic and it's easy to see cars long before they reach the crossing point.  The light rain was burning off by the time I hit the first mile but, despite 40 degree temperatures, there was some humidity fogging my sunglasses. With a slight breeze it was still pleasant and once the mist stopped it felt drier and cooler.

Once through neighborhood #3, I headed back to my main neighborhood, skipping 2, because the traffic I'd need to cross on the service road was too heavy for comfort. On weekend mornings it's much different to run along that section. I dressed exactly right and felt increasingly stronger throughout the run. This didn't translate into a fast pace but it felt great and I got some good mileage in on a weekday, always a bonus. It looks like the sun may actually make an appearance this afternoon and if it does I'm planning to experiment with Granger's G-Max Universal waterproofing spray on my Helly Hansen Trail Lizards. I bought this spray because it appears to be safer and more environmentally responsible (according to the label) than the solvent-based sprays that come with warnings that take up an entire side of the can. It will be great if the spray provides a moisture barrier on these shoes because I often have to step around large puddles on the trails at Stillwell. I know the shoes aren't engineered to be waterproof so they will likely let in some water. However, the spray may help keep things a little drier.

With all the rain we've had since Saturday, the trails will surely be soaked for the next few days. It would be great to have a little extra protection should I head to Stillwell or Muttontown this week. It's great to finally run outside.