My schedule says that I am to run 8 miles today. When I wake, I can hear the sound of the rain and it is coming down hard. I roll over and I think "Oh, Lord I don't want to go out in that." I slowly pull myself out of bed, dress, eat breakfast, take another peak outside and sigh. "Well here goes". I take a step outside and within 30 seconds, I am completely drenched. "Gotta love that Oregon weather" The wind is blowing the rain sideways, into my ear, water is dripping off of my hat, my dog keeps trying to shake the water off of himself, but it's raining so hard, he has no luck. With each step more and more water is leaking into my sock, causing that squishing sound. A car drives by, speeding of course and splashes a little water on to me. "Gee thanks" I say.
After about a mile, all this rain doesn't matter. I am wet, I'm soaked, there is no turning back. I keep running, I lift my face up to the sky and let the water hit my face and think that it feels refreshing against my hot skin.
I stomp through the puddles, I shake my head on my dog for pay backs, I run, I laugh. When I return home, I shake off my overcoat, take off my soaked shoes and think "what a nice run."
Thank you. I, after being a smoking lethargic couch potato for 30 years, quit smoking and put on 45 lbs. Being 45 I just lived with it being lethargic was a way of life. At 48 (last june to put a date in it) I discovered couch to 5k.
ReplyDeleteBy sept I was running 2 miles, not fast, but running it. I am now up to 4 miles (again not fast...a marathon would take me over 5 hours) but I'm running.
I haven't run across the"elite runner" that I have heard horror storys about, I have only encountered a community that has encouraged and embraced me.
Thank you for this, its raining here in Wisconsin and 35°...not great weather, but your words have encouraged me. The book, born to run, has challenged me to push myself, but your words got me off the chair and into a for mile run.
I found this site from I <3 to run on face book.
Keep well
Scott Rawson....runner
That is wonderful Scott. Runners are a great group of people, everyone is always willing to help another runner out. Have you read the book Accidental Athlete by John Bingham. I would highly suggest.
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