Against All Odds: Saturday morning routine edition

8 Days Out -- If cable TV news gets to brand news events with vaguely power catch phrases, I do too. That's why I've decided on "Against All Odds." I feel it really captures the gravity of my situation, and my darkhorse decision to run the marathon. Plus, this week is like May sweeps for my blog.

So, I was going to post this morning after my pre-run gorging, but I was too tired and distracted by VH1 Classic. I've been meaning to write about my Saturday morning routine for some time.

During one of my first training sessions the head trainer mentioned that we should finish eating breakfast three hours before our 8 a.m. Saturday runs. It's to make sure we've digested our food, I think. The only thing is it would mean I'd have to be up around 4:30 a.m. and have completed eating by 5 -- not going to happen.

So, since the beginning of January I've compromised; I'm up by 5:30, and I've finished eating by 6 a.m. I figure two hours is plenty of time to digest two bowls of generic Honey Nut Cheerios, four generic Eggo waffles, 16 ounces of water and one or two bananas.

Between 6 and 7 a.m. is the magic hour. I really shouldn't fall back asleep, so I stretch out my legs and watch all the strange things that are on TV at that hour -- usually VH1 Classic, featuring Dick Cavett episodes and Duran Duran concert footage. I also watch local morning new shows for comedic value.

Since daylight saving time started, I've been able to (partially, very partially) watch the sun rise over the Cascades from my living room window; it's pretty remarkable, and it makes me glad to be up at such an ungodly hour.

I generally leave the hour at 7 a.m. to make the half hour drive to Olympia. I pick up Jeremy along the way, and we're off to make our runs around the city with the group.

Today: 5-mile run
Tomorrow: nothing, but I will ice my knee