Continuing to "Just Run"

“Just run” as a running/training philosophy continues to serve me well.

Thursday I had something weighing on my mind, something that couldn’t be solved (by me anyway) and I let my legs take it out on the bike path. I couldn’t help it. I pushed and I couldn’t do anything to stop it so I went along with it.

As I played out different scenarios – good, bad – I just ran. And I ran fast and hard.

It felt good to run fast, let it out and feel strong. As I ran through the dark morning, I formulated a theory: if I ran strong this morning without fear or doubt or hesitation, put that strength out there in to the world, maybe that strength would somehow permeate the air and finds its way to the person who needs it. It’s a nice thought, isn’t it?

With that idea in mind I couldn’t possibly slow down or hold myself back. For a few moments as I pounded the pavement, I didn’t feel as helpless. Of course, it didn’t really change anything but it felt good to have some sort of control, some say in the matter.

I ended up running 5 miles at a 9:36 pace, race pace. I wonder if I had listened to my schedule and took it easy that morning, would I have felt better? The same?

Just run.

This morning, Friday morning, again I set out under the cover of early morning darkness but this time I was on a mission. I ran to work but I was concerned with how yesterday’s faster running would impact this morning’s longer run. The good news – it didn’t seem to.

I took the longer route to work – 8.25 miles – and went at the pace that felt right. I was a little tired when I started but by the end I really didn’t want to stop. For an hour and a half, I had let the world slip away and only worried about the here and now – my body, my breathing, my legs, my running.

I got to work in good time (10:45 average pace…the first few miles were around 11 minute miles).

I’ve always heard people talk about running as a cheap form of therapy. When these people have a problem they want to work through, they run, they think, they solve. For me, I can’t say I ever solve any problems on my runs but they definitely make me feel better. I don’t think and maybe that’s the blessing for me.

Daily Dozen:
8.25 miles run commute to work