Run to daylight

   One problem with working in runs is, of course, finding the time. On weekends there's usually plenty of it, but workdays can be difficult.
   So how to make it work? Get up early! Over the summer, I started meeting my friend Mike at 7:15 for runs on the National Mall. We'd do 4-5 miles 3-4 times a week. Sunshine wasn't a problem then; the sun was up by 5 am in July. But the early start time allowed us to minimize the heat.
   Now, of course, 7:15 is about what time the sun arrives. That's fine, but it does involve running in the dark. And I've added a new wrinkle, a way to get my weekly long run in without disrupting my work time or family time: I've run in to work.
   Yesterday I left by 6:30, and arrived at my office (11 miles later) at 8. It's nice that there's a gym/shower right in the basement of our building. It makes biking possible, and saves me on my home water bill! As a frequent bike rider, I've always got several shirts and pairs of dress pants hanging in my office, to the point that some have wondered if I'm opening a Jos. A. Bank outlet on the 8th floor.
   The problem, of course, is that you've got to be willing to run in the dark. And I was thinking as I plowed along yesterday, it really is amazing how many steps we take each day and how few we actually miss. Even on a dark bikepath, I find myself trusting my feet to land correctly. And they do. Time and again.
   Anyway, Daylight Saving Time ends soon, so dawn will be coming a bit earlier. In any event, we'll see if I can keep combining my long run & my commute once a week.