Use your muscle.

 No.

What is my relationship to food? This morning, following a performance at a medical conference, I looked over what was available from the continental breakfast in the lobby to make up for my scant meal prior to my arrival (which had been one apple and one banana.)

Coffee, yes. And juice -- which we do not normally have at home but makes for a nice, sweet, cold, shot of insulin when feeling down. Pastries, or danishes? No, thanks. I am hungry, but all that processed flour and sugar will just make me feel frayed and leave a bad taste in my mouth. Plain bagel with cream cheese please, that will be good. I will be running in an hour.

Good for you! Congratulations on making the right choice! Now, how do you explain your entirely pointless "need" last night to purchase a Little Debbie Oatmeal Creme Pie® and scarf that down with little regard or memory? I mean, you thought about it, it was a thought, as carefully made as the one you made this morning that you are so proud of, who was that person and who is this?

Temperature: 41°  
Climate: crisp, cold
Distance: 3.25 miles

Inspired by my Medina colleague, I decided to run backwards today! Not literally, of course, just taking my traditional route, and running it in the opposite direction. I have done that once or twice in the past. There's one obvious reason I don't do this very often ... my daily 3 mile route goes pleasantly straight downhill for almost one half-mile. Taking that up, while not arduous, is taxing, and not what I want to do every single run.

It is refreshing, and interesting, to see the route from the other direction. It was more interesting, it felt longer -- which I did not expect -- taking longer to make the distance from point to point in more time than I would have thought it might. A good exercise, and one which served to confirm how comfortable and happy I am with my traditional route. It is right, it works, it satisfies.

At this point I am tempted to make a joke about having had a one-night stand last night to confirm many of the same things, but as the wife really is out of town this weekend, she might not think that's funny.

2008 Playlist
Hot N Cold - Katy Perry
Black & Gold - Sam Sparro
Just Dance - Lady Gaga ft. Colby O'Donis
Jai Ho - A.R. Rahman
Disturbia - Rihanna
Let Me See You - Girl Talk
Halo (159 bpm) - Beyoncé

"Running will get you through times of no money better than money will get you through times of no running." - The Ruinous Ruminating Running Brothers.