PLAN B DAY.

Today was one of those days when it was good to have a plan B to fall back on. The running "schedule" I am going to use for the next couple of months calls for two days a week of weights, which I will then follow up with a 2 mile run after each. An easy recovery day.

I was all organized last night, and waking up at the 4:30 am time I've been doing lately, it was easy enough to get out of the house early enough and head to the gym. Not so early today to be the only one there, though.

When I went out to the car to start loading my stuff in for the day, I noticed my door opener didn't work. "Probably a dead battery," I thought, meaning the door lock opener. I had a dead battery all right, only it was the car! Now what?? And what was wrong? I couldn't think of any reason for my car battery to be dead, but there it was, completely dead. Didn't turn over at all.

It was before 6 am, so I checked the phone book, which fortunately I had one, and looked for the 24 hour services. There were several, but none listed their location. I wanted the closest one possible to get the car working quickly and get on with my day. I finally found one closest by, but it didn't advertise as 24 hour service. I took a chance and called anyway, but I'm sure I woke up the guy who answered.

Once he determined what I wanted, and had asked whether I left my lights on ("No!"), he said he only took cash. Fortunately, I had enough to cover the charge, but I was a little skeptical of his business practices. "How soon can you get here?" "I'm coming right over."

Coming "right over" meant 30 minutes later, even though he was located only about 10 minutes away. I was getting impatient and was just about ready to call again when he showed up at the door. Again, I was a little skeptical when I saw he showed up in a battered Toyota Camry (which leaked transmission fluid all over my driveway!) that he had to prop the hood up with a board! I was already starting to think of who else I could call when he left, figuring he would never get the thing started.

But lo and behold! Once he put the battery cables on my battery, my interior dome light came on. What?? I have no idea how that got left on. No one sat in my back seat in the past couple of days, and it was still light out enough when I got home that I wouldn't have needed it for anything anyway. And besides, doesn't that light come on when you open the door? How would I have known it had gotten turned on then? I guess it was my pointy head or something that bumped it, but it seems pretty hard to imagine. Either way, he got the car started and then told me just to let it run for about 20 minutes.

A quick check of the time and I could see it was too late to go to the gym, so plan B came into effect. I have some free weights at home, so while the car ran for 20 minutes or so to recharge, I did a modified weight routine. Once the car charged, I went out for my 2 mile run.

What a nice alternative plan though! Instead of killing myself with boredom on the treadmill after weights, I was able to go outside for a nice refreshing run in the brisk morning air. A few snowflakes were falling, it was that cold, but no wind, so again perfect weather for this time of year.

When things don't go as planned, its nice when the alternative turns out better!