May
29
Sometimes a Run Reminds Us Why We Run
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When I started Predawn Runner, I never intended to do many posts about specific runs. Especially a little nine-miler two weeks after a marathon that was nothing special in terms of pace. But sometimes a run reminds us why we run, and this was one of those runs, so I’m staying up late tonight to get this off my mind, and it’s going right into WordPress instead of the usual handwritten draft -> Word draft -> editing -> upload -> more editing that I usually do. So please bear with me, as it has been a long day.
There was every reason in the world to skip this run. I was looking forward to going out early this morning and exploring a short trail about 3 miles from our home. Oh, I was up early this morning all right, but it wasn’t to go running – my 7-year old son was bouncing off his walls at 4 AM (one of the small joys of autism). He was happy enough, but there was no way he was going back to sleep.
On top of that, there was my 5-year old son’s birthday party, an afternoon of swimming, and working with my 7-year old son on his therapy in the blazing sun – this was the seventh gorgeous day in a row in Cleveland, a rarity (and usually Memorial Day weekend is a gloomy mess). All told, a lot of time on my feet, a lot of energy drained away, and by the time the boys went to bed. I was drained. And above all, I think I’ve been a bit aggressive in my recovery; it has been difficult to hold the same pace I’m used to, and my right hamstring continues to remind me that I’m not far removed from a marathon.
But for some reason, skipping the run was never a serious consideration. I intended to explore a new route tonight, as I’ve been hungry to do of late, so maybe that was the motivation. The boys were in bed early, my wife knew I needed a run, so I was out the door even before sundown. I headed off through the neighborhood where I usually do my Monday morning predawn interval or tempo runs, and it dawned on me (no pun intended) that I had never really run there by the light of day. It looked quite different, and there were several graduation parties and family get-togethers – I knew this would be a different sort of run.
At about 2 miles I hit the “new” neighborhood, a community called “Aurora Shores”. I was instantly struck by the campground feel of the place. First, the entrance had an artificial waterfall and pond, and was lined with small American flags for the holiday weekend. All other neighborhoods I run in are less than 20 years old, this one had to be from the 70′s. The homes were intimately close (sometimes literally on top of each other), near the street, and the streets had names like “Windjammer Cove” or “Outrigger Cove.” There were even those hokey campground-type lights strung up around some of the houses.
On top of that, there were bonfires in the front driveways, kids playing basketball, couples out walking. By this point it was getting dark, but that didn’t seem to still the bustle of this area. As I went deeper into it, I came across a scenic lake (thus the “Shores” designation, I suppose), surrounded by homes who’s docks were bigger than the residences themselves.
I used to love visiting my aunt and uncle at the campground as a kid – that feeling of camaraderie and freedom, of endless summer nights and infinite roasted marshmallows, when the sun seemed to give instead of drain energy. My usual thoughts about pace faded with the sunlight, and I just soaked in the experience. This is, after all, the first weekend of summer, when running conditions around here really are at their best. While I have a lot of hard work ahead to reach my goals, sometimes it is essential to just step back and reflect on why I do this.
As much as I pound the merit of the predawn run, the postdusk run is a much better time for reflection, and that’s why tonight I was able to remember why I run – it’s not about Boston qualifying or personal bests, it’s about the pure joy of soaking in your surroundings, and the amount of surroundings you are exposed to when you run 2000 miles in a year. So yes, I will take my recovery more seriously, and cut back on the intervals and hill work called for the next few weeks, enjoying some time on the roads and trails while letting my body do what it needs to do, and positioning myself to continue doing this for a long, long time.
I hope everyone has a joyous weekend, whether you celebrate Memorial Day or not, and has the opportunity to put in a reflective run to remember. Thanks for stopping by.
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