Yesterday, I was asked, “what motivates you to get up and run so early in the morning day after day.” At the time, I really didn’t have a good answer. “I don’t know, I just enjoy it,” was the only thing I could think to say as I shrugged my shoulders and smiled.
On most days, that really is the truth. I’m not really sure why I get up at 4 in the morning, roll out of a cozy, comfortable bed and head out for a run on dark, cold winter mornings and humid, sticky summer mornings alike. I just do it – me and Nike think alike it seems.
However, this morning as I crunched the fresh snow underfoot I found another reason why I get up early to run before work, while most people are still asleep. Being the first one to make tracks in the snow is one of life’s small gifts. It means nothing, the person following in my footsteps won’t even know who made those footprints, and yet it will make me giddy every time. Like seeing a rainbow or rain on a sunny day, it just makes me smile.
This is why I got up early this morning – to be the first person to make tracks in the fresh snow.
On most days, that really is the truth. I’m not really sure why I get up at 4 in the morning, roll out of a cozy, comfortable bed and head out for a run on dark, cold winter mornings and humid, sticky summer mornings alike. I just do it – me and Nike think alike it seems.
However, this morning as I crunched the fresh snow underfoot I found another reason why I get up early to run before work, while most people are still asleep. Being the first one to make tracks in the snow is one of life’s small gifts. It means nothing, the person following in my footsteps won’t even know who made those footprints, and yet it will make me giddy every time. Like seeing a rainbow or rain on a sunny day, it just makes me smile.
This is why I got up early this morning – to be the first person to make tracks in the fresh snow.
Less than a half mile later, I found another reason why I get up early to run; because I’m not the only one out there. I don’t mean this from a competitive stand point but rather from a place of camaraderie and community. I like being part of group that gets up each and every day to go out and run regardless of the weather and conditions.
Running in snow like this – fresh, soft, crunchy…perfect – is a rare treat for a DC area runner and I took full advantage of it on my run in to work this morning. I’ve run as it was snowing and I’ve run after it snowed but to run on such pure snow is a treat. The air was cold but clear. There was little of the wind that has plagued my running lately. I took my time, fully enjoying the experience and even stopping to snap some pictures. I love being a runner in DC and I think the city looks amazing after a snow fall.
The Washington Monument
On the National Mall
On the National Mall
Perfect.
Daily Dozen:
10 mile run-commute to work
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