Nutrigrain...

... is the secret to my recent success. They take zero effort from my insides to digest, are silent to eat in bed as soon as I wake up (and when I'm really considerate, I even step outside the bedroom to unwrap it), and have enough carbs and sugar to get me through the morning run without pangs of hunger stabbing through at the half hour mark.

My legs have been feeling no pain- and aren't even really tired after the long run on Saturday. I'm itching for the weekend, to be able to run farther than I ever have- again. That's really the great thing about the training at this point; it isn't all that often in otherlife that a situation provides an opportunity for both constant and quantitatively measurable improvement. And I love that.

This morning I ran four miles at a comfortable pace on very comfortable dirt and grass. I've decided to prioritize avoiding asphalt on my weekday runs, which means that in addition to seeking out the dirt paths (as I've been doing), I'm also hopping on the grass and running parallel to the road. My only worry has been that I'll step funny and strain an ankle. No problem- I'll keep an eye on the ground for the rougher, covered with longish grass stretches. WHACK. Just a tiny branch to the head. And that's how I found the greatest advantage to moving slowly.