A very long sunset

There have been rumblings from many of you that I haven't posted a sunset photo in a long time.

Ha!  I'm totally kidding.  No one has requested more sunset photos - and no one probably ever will because everyone knows one is just around every corner.  But I do like that kind of teaser as a jumping off point for posts I want to write about.   (I can see it now: "Thousands of you have been begging for a photo of what snow looks like on a sidewalk...")

Anyway, I was running last night and saw a rockin' sunset - as in, I was running westward for, like, a full 30 minutes of sunset.  Paradise!

Run report: Run was good.  The weather was super and since I've been caught being overzealous about these warm-for-winter temps in my wardrobe choices lately, I overdressed just a tiny bit, so I felt cozy but not unbearably hot.  (That was a really long sentence for some content that is prob interesting only to me.)

I finally got my act together, which last night meant figuring out where there was a public indoor drinking fountain so I could eat a Gu packet, which is basically a 100-calorie packet of gooey carbohydrates that I eat if I'm running farther than 12 miles.  (It makes the last few miles of a long run a lot more pleasant and seems to help my recovery, too, but you gotta take it with a few gulps of water.) I remembered there was a community center at a totally prime Gu-eating spot in the mileage and it worked out perfectly.  Also, I got to enjoy my new favorite Gu flavor.  My friend Taya introduced me to Mint Chocolate this summer and it is wonderful and tastes like Junior Mints.  YUM!

Other items of note: I added two blocks to my route when I spotted a loose German Shepherd moseying around on the sidewalk in front of me, probably looking for a me-sized dinner.  Also, what little snow we had has melted, so funny stuff in yards gets revealed.  In one yard, there was a lone toy (but large) plastic dagger in the grass, complete with fake blood on the blade.  Finally, I got to catch up on some really good podcasts: two from Slate ("Double X Gabfest" and "Hang Up and Listen") plus "ESPN Baseball Today."

And now it's Friday!  On my weekend itinerary: pitching in/hanging out at the Twin Cities in Motion Valentine's Day 5K, dinner out on Saturday night with Josh, and hosting my family for dinner on Sunday.  And some grapefruit.  For sure.  Happy Friday!