After three solid months of waking up at 4:45 a.m. for my training runs for the RnR half, I'm starting to crave a change of pace. I was so rigid with that training plan, that I need to re-introduce some flexibility to my running.

While I will always be a morning runner at heart, lately I've been wanting to mix things up a bit with some afternoon runs. Since the temperatures have been more runner-friendly lately, it's also not a necessity for me to get up before the heat of the day to finish my workout.

I did my first after-work run yesterday -- an easy five miles -- and I plan to do another after-work run today.

My biggest struggle with afternoon runs is getting out the door and getting it done. The metro makes me drowsy in the afternoon, so by the time I get home, my motivation is gone.

But running in the afternoon gives me the chance to explore neighborhoods I can't explore in the mornings because of their lack of street lights. Plus running just makes me feel good. So I'm fairly confident I'll be able to beat the post-metro blahs and get out there today.

What motivates you to get out of the door a long day?