On Miles, Sore Knees, Cellphones, Guilty Feelings--and a Little Thing Called "Big Hair Thursday"

Today's blog post, covering 10.5 miles in two runs, will be in the styling of my beloved's Christmas Fruitcake.

1. Miles: 4.5 on Tuesday, traveling to the gym, getting in a good lift, then running to the mall (see item #3), then running to the T for a quick ride home. Another 6 this morning, with me grumbling, grumpy, and growling the whole way to the river and back. At the turnaround point, I stopped kidding myself about trying to squeeze in 8 vs. an extra cup of pre- work commute Joe.*

2. Sore Knees. Stupid running. Stupid sore knees. (Not to fear, not terrible--just a little achy from recent overuse.)

3. Cellphones, or more specifically one cellphone--my black-screen one to be even more specific. It still dials, and I still get calls--but there's no screen--meaning no texting, no photos, no seeing missed calls, no caller ID--and no ability to troubleshoot. Tuesday's mission to the mall yielded two interesting conversations--one at apple, and one at Verizon. Time will tell.

4. Guilty feelings. Ok, so I shorted myself this week--AND this weekend, running a few miles less than the suggested minimum. I know I'm in great running condition, and strong, and this won't exactly kill me. But this is the time of the year when most normal people running an abnormally far distance being to...well, get a little tired. It's the physical and mental tiredness (not to mention the irrational hunger) that makes me feel guilty. And then I feel guilty about feeling guilty. It's a vicious circle, in the shape of a Rubix cube. Perplexing, and ridiculous.

5. BIG HAAAIR THURRRSDAY! The one good thing about running in the morning is the special little treat that I give myself for the workday--big hair. No blow-drying, no straightening, no ponytail even. I rock the big hair in all its air-dried, dehydrating winter air, frizz-inspiring, half-assed wavery glory. And though at times the shadow of my head is startling, and an accidental look in the bathroom mirror gasp-inducing, I revel in it. Biiiig haaair thurrsday. Yeeaaaah.*

*Mmmm, yes. So good.

**On one particularly memorable big hair Thursday, no less than three people commented on the size of my normally groomed follicles within five minutes, ultimately leading to a round-robin cubicle conversation regarding the unruly mop.