Down on the Boulevard

I've restarted my Tuesday and Thursday morning runs.
Even though there is nothing I would rather do at 5:15 in the morning except go back to bed, there is no better way to start the day than with a good run. Like I said, my running partner Bryan and I took a hiatus for the last couple of month due to the weather and the fact that Bryan suffered a stress fracture in his ankle after Thanksgiving.
This morning was to be our second morning run of the new year. I arrived at 5:50am and parked at the tail end of Cherokee Boulevard. (For those unfamiliar with Knoxville, the Boulevard runs through one of the older neighborhoods of Knoxville surrounded by plenty of expensive homes.) Bryan and I usually meet here and run for about 30-45 minutes, covering distances of 3-4 miles. Today, I parked my car at 5:50 and waited for Bryan, who is very punctual and shows up around 5:55. Once my clock read 6:05, I knew something was wrong. I returned to my car and as soon as I sat down, my cell phone rang. Bryan was on the other end and had problems with his alarm and wasn't going to make it this morning.
There are those moments when you are faced with a decision. I could have taken the easy way and simply left. Or I could go out for a run on my own. Today, I chose the latter and started on my way. Now, let me mention that the temperature this morning was a brisk 24 degree F. Even so, there was a few people out. Perhaps, we are all crazy.
Being alone this morning, I decided to press my run a little as my busy schedule on Saturday had kept me from my run. Today, I decided to run the full length of the Boulevard... 2.6 miles one way.
Running along the road, the first 1.75 miles is generally flat. Beyond that, the remaining mile is full of hills and valleys. I'm proud to say that except for turning around and the final hill, I managed to run the full road... 5.2 miles in under 52 minutes, keeping my 10-minute pace.