I am trying to leave for vacation at 2:30pm.

I had a small list of must do items from yesterday.

After several phone calls and e-mails today, that list has grown exponentially longer.

I am angry.

I have never felt compelled to yell things at people running by me, so I don't understand the compulsion for people to yell things at me when I'm running. Are their comments for my benefit or for theirs? Are they hoping I'll stop and engage them in conversation? Or that their "witty" comment will be the "zing" that I need to keep going?

As a dog owner, those leashes that extend really far seem appealing to me, but as a runner, they're a gigantic trip hazard and I hate them and the little ankle biting dogs at the end of them.

Running down Norwood and Lincoln Parkway and Chapin Parkway in the dark on a cool and balmy evening was peaceful and soothing.

Gulping down a cold Goya Mango drink was heavenly after the run. But I probably just drank the same amount of calories I burned off.

I have two hot red pepper plants (hot portugal pepper) and one Sweet Hungarian plant, which grow really well in pots.

I have a zucchini plant and a cucumber plant that might be dead. I'm not sure. But I'll double check if you're interested!

Let me know if you're interested in any of those plants. They're sitting on my front porch so all you would have to do is run up and grab the plant and go. You wouldn't even have to stop in and say hello.

I'm pretty sure he's packing a piece under that coat.

for a 9:30 minute/mile 5K. I think.

Today I had a very satisfying work out.

400 meters run 6 times at a faster pace than my 5k pace.

200 meters of walking in between the 400 meters.

One mile of slow and easy jogging to cool down the muscles.

I felt discouraged after my last 5k, because I didn't quite hit the time I wanted, but felt better when the results from the race indicated that I ran a 9:45 mile pace.

I want to slash 15 seconds off to be at a 9:30 mile pace at Jog for the Jake in June in order to run about a 28:30 5K.

I plan on doing speed workouts once a week until the race. And when I'm home in Illinois I'm hoping to take advantage of hills in my dad's neighborhood to do some speed work on hills.

All on the path to a 27 minute 5K by the fall for the Linda Yalem Safety Run.