Is This What Running Really Is?

Again, 5:30 came early this morning. To be exact, sixty minutes of beautiful sleep potential earlier than what I have been accustomed to.

I put on running pants before checking the temperature. 70 degrees?? Well, I was already dressed, and I didn't want to wake my wife by going back in and changing into shorts. I just kept telling myself, "you'll lose weight this way!"

A half mile into my run, the music stopped. I looked at the MP3 player strapped to my arm, but couldn't quite make out the message being displayed. So I ripped it off my arm and looked closely at the screen as though it held precious secrets of life: Battery Depleted. Ugh. Six and a half more miles of listening to my feet hit the pavement.

From mile two to three, I ran around and through a big neighborhood block where apparently a skunk was also spending his morning. Moving into miles four and five, I ran past a neighborhood trash truck. It was a morning of lovely smells.

As I was wrapping up miles six and seven, I was asking myself, "is this what running really is? Dead MP3 players, dark mornings, skunks and trash trucks?"

Being honest with myself, I realized that, yes, that probably is real life--that is probably what I can often expect from running. And I then thought to myself, "I'm OK with that."

3-10-08
Distance: 7 miles
Time: 1:01:56
Avg. Mile Pace: 8:43