rain, what rain?

i was lucky enough to get in 4 miles tonight. just before 6 there was another lull in the rain and, tossing caution to the wind, i was out the door by 6:30 for a few more miles. i also wanted to get outside for some fresh air, since i'd been in the house all day. in fact, i had been more productive than usual, getting to a bunch of chores and finishing up "strides," by benjamin cheever, while the rain poured down outside.

i had been reading it on the instalment plan, so to speak. i'd read a few pages on the metronorth rides to and from work each day. it was a fun, breezy read. and, given the eclectic compilation of running stories, the format lent itself to that little here, little there, reading plan. today, i had more than enough time to finish the final few chapters.

the 4 miles took 31:51, a 7:58 pace. i had "squeeze" playing on my ipod, and was in a nice easy groove. the temperature had actually risen into the high 50s. just as i began to toy with the idea of another mile (or two), i felt a few raindrops and stuck with the original 2 miles, out and back.

all in all, i'm relieved to have gotten in 14 miles today. given the forecast, as recently as yesterday morning, the prospect of getting in half as many miles didn't seem realistic. with 46 miles going into tomorrow, and the the 9 race miles, i'll only need 5 post-race miles to reach my mileage goal for the week. very doable!