Small Step Forward...

...Giant leap backwards. That sums up my run for today, although under the circumstances, I'm surprised I was able to convince myself to actually put on my running gear (after finding it of course...I had some people over for an impromptu hang out, and in order to make it look like I didn't live in a pig stye, I threw mounds of clothing into my closet with reckless abandon).

Lets start from the end of yesterday. I met two of my clarinet buddies to go to this restaurant Taco Mex in east Boston, which served delicious Mexican and Salvadorian food in copious amounts. It was here that I had my first encounter with a Margarona (see image below). I also love eating ethnic food, because a lot of the time it's healthier, and they don't use much dairy, however eating a large amount of anything is bound to cause you at least some discomfort.

Later that night, I decided it would be fun to have a few people over, to hang out, chat, and have a few drinks. Why not? We had some really tasty beers that I had brought back from the liquor store down the street, and I thought about getting snacks, but I felt as though I would explode if I tried to ingest any more. I also stayed up way too late again, but there was something to be said about hanging out in the quiet solace of the roof watching the cloudy, misty sky get brighter (but don't tell my landlord).

So then I slept in, and of course had an achy head and other hangover symptoms. Until now, I had been noticing that when I go for runs, I've been running longer distances, slightly faster, and walking less. Today was not that at all. I started out slow, got slower, and eventually walked a bunch. Even though it's been on and off cloudy, I was outside for the short time that the sun was, and I was in a little park, running through trails and nature. Since a hangover is usually your body's way of saying "Hey, some water would be nice", I chugged about three glasses of water before I went...and I should have waited a little longer to leave. The last few blocks of my run, I noticed I was running faster, not because I wanted to improve my mile time, but because I really, really, REALLY needed to use the bathroom.

So, I don't recommend ever running with a hangover.

I do however, recommend taking a run or leisurely walk through Hall's Pond Sanctuary:

And even the smaller, but equally nice Knyvet Park.

Guess I better start the day. I don't work until this weekend, so tonight I will be frolicking through the beautiful Harvard Square to visit one of my favorite restaurants with a good friend of mine who just happens to be in town.