Take myself out to the ballpark
I had a little trouble getting the GPS to connect to satellites on this run, so the path starts in a parking lot where I stopped to get unobstructed access to the sky. Once it connected I started going again. I’m just considering the third of a mile I ran before that a warmup that doesn’t make it onto the log. It was mostly downhill anyway.
I used to dislike starting a run downhill and then coming back uphill at the end, but I’m starting to see the benefit. Sure, it means that I have to run uphill at the end when I’m tired, but it also means I get to warm up going downhill. It naturally makes me take it easy while my legs get used to moving, and I think that’s a bigger benefit than attacking the hill while I have energy.
Not that I’m attacking any big hills these days, but considering that my problem running has more to do with getting started than it does with keeping going, Easing the barrier to entry may be a really good thing for me.