Resurrected: Reflections on Running through Life

I wrote this piece about a year ago. Well, it was November 13, 2011, to be exact. I was so inspired, I just couldn't keep my thoughts in my head anymore. I had to write them down. I re-read this today, and can hardly believe how excited I am to run tomorrow.

For the last few weeks, or really since my week off after my first marathon in October, I have been less than inspired to run.  Really, my runs have not been very enjoyable.  They've been tiring, lack-luster, and somewhat boring. Frankly, my runs have been a chore.  They're just something else I HAVE to do, instead of something I WANT to do.  It was almost like doing the dishes, worse, it was like having to do the laundry. 

Yesterday, I had a great run, and everything just seemed to slip back into being "right" with the world. I am hopeful that it will continue.  This time of year is my favorite, and the beauty that I encountered yesterday was breathtaking. There was no ignoring the crisp air, gorgeous leaves, lovely fog dusting my face with dew.  I instantly knew why I am so drawn to running.  I like to race, but I really love to get out there.
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I often reflect on things that are going on in my life while I'm out running. Most of the time, it's just the everyday things...what to make for dinner this week, nice colors to paint the bedroom, trying to remember to sign up the kids for swimming lessons....
 
When I'm not checking off my 'to-do' list, one of the things I love most about running is just taking in the outdoors. I like examining each season for what it is: the warm sun on my arms and the roaming wildlife in the Summer; the blossoms on the trees and the smell of lilac in the Spring; Winter's blustery winds and sideways rain. I particularly like the Fall; the leaves turning beautiful shades of red, orange, and yellow. The early light showers of rain on my face and the smell of something new on the horizon. I've often said that you couldn't pay me to run on a treadmill---and it's never been more true than now.
 
I don't talk about running much to other people. Most folks just don't "get" it. And, really, I don't expect them to understand. It's a personal thing. More and more I have been thinking of running as a metaphor for life.
 
Running, like life, isn't always the same. Sometimes, my runs are smooth and easy and I get to a 'Zen-like' state where everything is working like it's supposed to. I have no worries. At times, when I am racing I feel like I have entered a different level of consciousness. I call it being on 'cruise mode', but really it's like dissociating from all things around me---the pain in my muscles, the other people nearby, the wind, the smell of the cars. EVERYTHING.

I have imagined that other people probably feel this way when they are in their particular 'zone', too...like artists, musicians, and even surgeons or computer programmers. It's a way of hyperfocusing on one thing---and everything else is quiet.
 
But, just like life, running isn't always rainbows and perfect smelling roses. Sometimes, I have to force myself out the door---like when I have a cold or feel like I only slept 15 minutes the night before. And, even when I feel pretty good---I don't LOVE every second. Like when I go to the track to run speed intervals. I know they make me faster and help me attain my PR goals, but I can't escape the feeling when I'm on the track that I'm like a dog on a 10 foot chain in the yard. In life, I don't like doing the dishes or vacuuming either, but I do like a clean house, so I do what it takes to get that done, too.
 


The shirt I bought last November. Sums it up nicely.

My running will never be perfect--but I love it. I recall going for a run on a blustery, COLD morning last winter, when it was 15 degrees. It was dark and windy. I had to wear to ski-type of hood, a scarf, and earmuffs to keep my face from freezing. Some people may have decided to use this sort of day as a rest day, but I was determined not to let ANYTHING, even the worst weather, stand between me and my run that day. And, it turned out to be one of most enjoyable runs to date---the fact that it was NOT perfect, made it an important part of my training.
 
That's the sort of determination and pushing the envelope that I think life requires of us. Certainly, there will be times when things are not ideal. Sometimes, the hand that you're dealt is unpleasant, but fold your cards and go home? I don't think so. You couldn't pay me to run on a treadmill in life either. Life is full of changes, and challenges--embrace them or fight them head on--don't stay inside and wait for them to go away.