Running into bad weather, bad planning, and bad excuses

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A couple weekends ago, I went for a run. It was a good run - the type where you felt appropriately exhausted immediately afterwards, but your body recovers rather quickly, and you feel energized. To me, that's the feeling of being in shape.

The next day, all I wanted to do was go running again. I lay on the couch, debating my strategy. I knew it wasn't a good idea to run two days in a row this early into a training program. I knew my body needed a day off. Instead, I strategized how to carve out time the next day.

But the next day met with knee issues, not uncommon to me after a run. My postponed my next run another day.

Then the weather was too windy (like blowing me into buildings and trees when walking). Delayed again.

Then the weather was too hot.

Then I was looking after my niece.

Then my parents were over.

Then it was raining.

Finally a full week had gone by, and it was nice enough to go running. But the urge to run had died out. Pesky little excuses like: "my iPod is in the bedroom, and Scott's still asleep" or "I would have to eat first, and then wait 2 hours for the food to digest, and what happens if someone calls to make plans before then". But as the excuses got more and more, well, stupid, the more I knew it was important to strap on those shoes and hit the pavement.

What's the dumbest excuse you've used to avoid doing something? How do you motivate you in spite of your excuses?