221.8; Running

I've been getting about 4 miles in an hour when I run on the treadmill.  Which, is totally awesome considering that I couldn't even get 3 miles in when I started this journey.  Come to think of it, I would get about 3.5 miles at the most for the better part of the last year.  So anything over 4 is awesome.

But I've noticed a few things that I need to figure out.

My legs are tired for the first 3/4 of a mile.  I stretch out, but wonder if I'm stretching in the correct way?  All I know is that they feel like dead weight until that 3/4 mile mark when they start to lengthen and relax.  About 2 miles in I can feel my stride lengthen and my foot plant change and I can run longer periods of time without stopping.

I need to figure out how to better hydrate myself.  I end up drinking about 12 ounces of water prior to the run and about 50 ounces during the run.  Which means that half way through I end up jumping off the treadmill and loading up my water jug again.  I'm thinking there has to be a better way to hydrate myself, without my tummy sloshing from water moving as I run.

I'm an ugly runner. This means that my head sweats likely half of what I drink.  I'm constantly having to stop and wipe the sweat (what a gross word!) from my forehead and my neck.  I need to find a really absorbent, wide, cloth headband to put on when I run so that I'm not distracted by wiping.

I long to find that runners high.  I think I'm close to it sometimes because I lose sight of everything, but then something distracts me.  I need to figure out how to focus on something to get in a zone.  I tried focusing on the wall, but it makes me sick because I'm bouncing up and down to run.  I tried to focus on a point way out the window, but it did the same thing.  There has to be a trick, right?

I'm hoping to research these things in the next week or so and get some answers, tips and products. 

You know what I just realized?  I TOTALLY AM A RUNNER!  I'm asking questions about how to better my runs which means that I know I can do it!  YAY!