Running outdoors

Yesterday I was running outdoors for the first time since high school (I did run once along the beach about a month ago, but that hardly qualifies as a run as I walked most of the distance). I made a few discoveries:

• My mouth generates torrents of spit – something that never bothered me while I was running solely on a treadmill.
• Despite the common understanding that a treadmill is easier on your joints, running on the concrete pavement caused me far less pain in joints, I guess the reason being the multiformity. The monotonous repetitive nature of a treadmill had been wearing out my joints more than a slightly more hazardous but diverse terrain.
• My legs ached however in ways I had never experienced before. But that was a good ache, it means some abandoned muscles are now getting their workout as well.
• I can't tell whether I am running slow enough to last even the shortest distance. I need some way of figuring out my pace and controlling it.

All in all, I had a great time running outdoors and am planning to do it more often now (if not always).