Divine intervention...

After a crazy weekend of strawberry picking, Blue Angel watching and War of 1812 commemorating that gave Adventures in Babysitting a run for its money (by the way, everyone survived), I got back to the pavement and my personal meditation today.  As has been the case with most of my plans lately, I did not end up completing the workout I planned.  This morning I woke up to rain, a long day of forecasted rain.  With that in the crystal ball I planned on hitting power yoga and the treadmill after work.  However, I got  a pleasant post-work surprise...no rain.  How could I not take advantage of that?  After all, it was clear that mother nature was listening to my complaints about the treadmill. Not one to look a gifthorse in the mouth, I laced up my running shoes and headed outdoors.

I decided to shake it up a little bit and hit my go to course in reverse...sort of.  I started out heading across the East front of the Capitol, then up Pennsylvania Avenue.  Instead of cutting up 7th Street and cruising past Eastern Market, I went on down to 13th Street before turning toward Lincoln Park.  I've never been down this section of the road before and was pleasantly surprised by the extensive Watkins Recreation Center (and pleased to see so many kids out being active in the various sports teams practicing on the fields).  It got me thinking about some of the great programs fighting childhood obesity like the White House Let's Move and Junior League's Kids in the Kitchen.  I love those programs.  The run was tough, my left achilles is a bit tight, but necessary.  I finished off the evening in the weight room at the gym.

My divine moment, however, did not come until I arrived home tonight.  You may recall my post last week about honoring the victims and survivors of cancer by running to raise funds.  Well, being the Christian gal that I am, I do believe in intervention and tonight was a fine case.  I guess I'm being called to put my money...or legs...where my mouth is.  Tonight's mail delivered a flyer to join the American Cancer Society DetermiNation running program to help raise funds for cancer research.  I love the back of the flyer that says "Nearly 12 million cancer survivors will celebrate another birthday this year, thanks in part to the lifesaving work of the American Cancer Society and people just like you: people with a spark of determination and the will to conquer this deadly disease.  Every mile you conquer could help someone else celebrate another birthday."  I've signed up to receive information on the Washington, DC area program.  After all, how can you say no to a great cause and divine intervention?  Happy trails!!!

Stats -
Miles:  5.25
Time:   45:07 (average pace of 8:35 per mile)
Location:  Capitol Hill, Lincoln Park, Stanton Park
Feeling:  Need to figure out the tight achilles but otherwise pretty good