I would love it if the route that I run, each day, looked
like this. It's more like a square with a tiny park and some
houses. The decent thing about it is that it's usually pretty
quiet and because I work from home, I can pick the
quietest time to give 'er.
I really don't like running. I go pretty slow but then try
to burn it at the end, using all I have left in the tank.
There's a New Balance commerical that is circulating
right now about the love/hate relationship between
runners and running. It really is just that; I hate it
at the start, don't mind it in the middle and then really
hate it at the end. Immediately after I switch from
running to walking and cool down, though, when the
route is complete, I love it.
Today, there was a fresh (though nearly melted) layer
of snow on the lawns in the neighbourhood. It lent a
cool sharpness to the air. I think I enjoy running in the
winter much more than I do in the summer.
It's not even really about the caloric burn, the speed,
my heart rate or any of that - it's just a sound sense of
accomplishment. Sometimes, at the end of route when
I burn up whatever fuel is in my reserves and gun it
home, I pretend that there are friends and family on the
sidelines, cheering me on to finish the race.
There are many analogies between running and life.
I hope I've run a good race, when it's all said and done.
