Skip the tricks

I've been running most mornings before work.  I was able to get five miles this morning and that was a feat since Jay won't let me out of the house before light.  That means I get to start around six a.m. or so.  That doesn't give me time to cool down, shower, dress and get to work by 7:30.  Today it was 8:00 but I had extra time chalked up from previous days so it was no matter.
I thought I was going to be tired, being it was a Thursday an all, so I set my run for 3 miles thinking I would do 4 and I ended up doing 5.  It's all a mind trick to tell myself I'll only do a small amount when I'm thinking I want to do more.  I allow myself to think I won't push it too hard by setting a smaller number.  Then by taking it easy I feel like I want to do more.  Not always.  But it worked this morning.  I think if I had set out thinking I needed to do 5 miles I would have balked and not done more than 3.  Maybe.  I'm not sure.  It's still a mind game.  And anyway, I'm not running right now.  Not until tomorrow.
I won't have to worry about time and cooling down to get ready for work because I took tomorrow off.  I can start whenever, run what I want, and take my time afterward since I don't have to rush off.  I've got nothing planned except a hair trim at 11:00 a.m.
So I can skip the 'guess the distance' for tomorrow.  No mind tricks.  Just pure running to run.
TT