So, sleep hasn’t come any easier lately, and I’m a little baffled about it. A messed up sleep schedule has been par for the course during the past 3 weeks, and this morning I was up shortly at 2.

For a little while, I contemplated heading out for a run. But the plan was to leave at 5 a.m. and log 12-15 miles before getting ready for a quick trip to Bemidji.

Well, I didn’t fall back to sleep, although I was tempted and began drifting about 3:30. If my head hit the pillow and I did go to sleep, though, I knew I’d never get up and out at 5. And I’ve missed too many long runs lately to let another workout slip by.

Even with a stiff wind, I dressed a little lighter than normal, and decided to head directly into the wind to start. At least that way I’d be a little warmer on the way home from my first loop with Riley. It felt great, and the wind really wasn’t much of a nuisance. Riley logged nearly 7 miles with me by the time I dropped him off at home.

At that point, I figured I’d be satisfied if I simply run around the block to get 7, but everything felt great. It didn’t take long to decide that this would be a double-digit run, and as the miles clicked off, my cadence and pace quickened. And while I normally don’t appreciate a colder run, 11 miles today seemed about perfect. After some lighter weeks due to no long run, this is my week to ramp up the mileage and get back on marathon schedule.