Coffee.



My favorite running shirt, from One More Mile.

This morning I actually DID manage to haul myself out of bed for a 5:15am run. When I tell people I get up to run early in the morning, they often look at me with awe and say things like, "Wow, you're dedicated!" Let me clear this up. I am not a morning person and I detest waking up at 4:45 (or earlier) in the morning. When my alarm goes off that early, I would like to unplug it and throw it against the wall. I am severely cranky and disoriented for the first 15 minutes of being vertical. I have to lay all of my running clothes out very carefully the night before so I can put them on in the dark (I refuse to turn on any lights.) I come up with reasons why I should've just stayed in bed while I navigate my way downstairs and grope in the dark for my keys.

All that said, I do force myself out the door and I have never, ever, not even once, regretted getting up early to run once I'm actually out running. It is wonderful to get out there while the air is still cool and sweet, before the oppressive summer heat sets in. I'm free to run without worrying what my kids are up to or if my childcare time limit is almost up. (Thanks hon, for staying home to watch them in the AM!) I get to see amazing sunrises, and I get to run with good friends who are willing to join me in the misery and joy of an early morning run.

Aside from the fantastic feeling I get for the rest of the day after a good morning run, I look forward to coming home and having a cup of coffee all by myself. I know I've written before about how much I love being home before the kids are up, before the world is awake...before the lawnmowers start and the cars begin to rush by on the street outside. This quiet time is sacred to me. This is the time, too, when I'm really grateful for my Keurig coffee maker. There is nothing like a fresh, hot cup of my favorite coffee that's ready right when I am. Earthy, sweet, fruity, rich, smooth...good coffee can be like fine wine with depth and range of flavors!! Sometimes during the last bits of a hard run, I push myself by thinking about the cup I'm going to have when I get home. I really do "run on coffee!"

My favorites are, in no particular order, (except for the Kona, which comes in first in my book over absolutely anything else):


100% Kona
Wolfgang Puck Breakfast in Bed
Deidrich Morning Edition
Deidrich Sumatra
Coffee People Donut Shop
Green Mountain Caramel Vanilla Creme (I don't do flavored coffees often, but I do like this one once in a while!)

How about you? Are you a coffee drinker? If so, what's your favorite? I'm grateful this morning for beautiful sunrises, good friends, and good coffee...