Double the fun with cousin

The running week is ending early. I went to the gym for the first time in months on Tuesday. I was quite a sight -- so uncoordinated on the treadmill. In fact, I misstepped half a dozen times during this very poor 5K. I was pink with embarassment at nearly falling off each time. Maybe it was the lasagna with bechamel sauce, fried zucchini and Italian donuts, that were being prepared FoodTv that caused the distraction of not running in a straight line?

But luckily, my cousin was housesitting for my sister this week and this enabled us to have back-to-back outdoor runs together, yesterday and today. It was a blustery Thursday. She pulled up to my house just as I was returning from work. It would be another 45 minutes before we could talk ourselves into running in that cold wind. It seemed no matter which direction we headed, the wind was not at our backs. It didn't stop us, we just pushed through. I steered us a little off course so that we could end the run at the local coffeeshop for a hot chocolate to warm our hands and bellies for the short cooldown walk home after we completed 5K.

Today, it took us another 45 minutes to depart upon meeting up. I used almost the same route as last Saturday, except went in reverse so the hill home was more drawn out but less steep than if I had gone the other way. It's also a step-back long run week (again, not adhering to any plan in particular. Just running what I feel like. Though I plan to reach a long run of 10 miles before the taper). We set off slowly. We both have start-issues, ie can't seem to get going until about 20 minutes in. I purposely lead us past the new cupcake shoppe and she was equally enamored by the choices that would await us... one day. I think we actually hit a comfortable stride in the second half of the 6-1/2-mile journey when the promise of hot coffee and pancakes was close at hand. (In reality, the coffee wasn't very satisfying at the diner, as was the service, but I managed to eat some of everyone's breakfast -- cousin's hashbrowns, her husband's rye toast, CMan's bacon, and 2 of 3 of my own stack of pancakes with a side of sausages).