Are you tired of this yet?

I promise I'll stop talking about how I'm going to run at the new job, as soon as I figure out how I'm going to run at the new job. Superman told me there is a Metropark in the area. Because I really don't like the idea of jumping out of bed and straight out the door to run, I decided to see if I could drive to this park, run there, then head to work.

Turns out there are bridle trails and loops all over the area.

This parking area is within 10 minutes of my job

I now have options.

Based on an 8:30am start time, I can get up at 6:30, be out the door with coffee in hand by 6:45, and hit the bridle path by 7:15. This gives me enough time for at least 3 miles before cleaning up, getting changed and heading to work. I'm thinking I can get a little more mileage in if I run by time instead of distance. Depending on traffic, I can have up to an hour on the path. If I set an alarm for 25 minutes, I can do an out and back that still gives me time to cool down, clean up, change, and head to work.

Providing I have an hour lunch, I can then drive to the park on my lunch break for another quick 3 (or more). I might spend this time doing yoga, though I'll have to find a better place when it starts getting cold.

Then, after work, I can avoid rush hour traffic with another 3 or 4 miles - whatever it takes to round out the daily 10. Or yoga. I think stretching will be very important if I'm putting in the mileage I want to be putting in.

OR

I can sleep in until 7, run at lunch, and run longer after work. This doesn't leave me with time to stretch though.

OR

I can just run after work. This would be the hardest on my body, and it would take longer to work up to that 10 miles per day goal.

I'm torn. I want to run early because even on tired legs I can run 3 miles. This means (in my crazy little head) that I'll be able to run the 9-10 miles per day almost immediately. I understand that is not likely to happen, and I would probably end up hurting myself if I tried. Doesn't stop my crazy little head.

I like the idea of sleeping in and running at lunch/after work, but I also like the idea of saving gas $$ by avoiding rush hour traffic and reducing my travel time. I REALLY like the idea of running more than once a day. I do think giving my legs a chance to rest between runs will help get my mileage up quicker, without being quite so injury-prone.

I've been planning all weekend to schedule this last week of unemployment as if I were working. I'll be up at 6:30 for coffee and breakfast, then out the door to run by 7:15. I have to go take the drug test tomorrow, and I have a few other errands to run as well, so that will get me out the door when I'm done running. I have things planned for each day this week, to get me out of the house at least part of the day. When I get back from errands I'll do some stretching, then spend the afternoon putting in more applications. I plan to get out for another 3 miles around 5, but am aware of my proclivity toward not going out again when I'm home in front of my computer. I'll be happy if I run and stretch every day this week. Running every day hasn't happened for quite a while.