A Little Something for Sunday

After I ran at the park Friday, I noticed the sun filtering through everything and lighting it with a lovely glow.

Looky What I Did!

So, you know we're in St. Simons, Ga this weekend.

Well, we were driving around yesterday and discovered that there would be a 5k race this morning--"I love the BEACH, 5k to increase organ donor awareness."

I've never run a 5k race before. Didn't have time for jitters. Went to the motel, went to bed, got up and went and ran the race. It was on the beach which was packed pretty well, except in a couple of spots. It started raining a little at the end. It went much more easily than I anticipated.

And....

more importantly...
I FINISHED!!!

Defamiliarization

The heat surrounded me. My eyes felt gritty and it seemed light was coming from everywhere. I squinted, trying to think some sort of coherent thought. Where do I go from here?
I could feel sweat trickling, tickling. "Odd." I remember thinking. "The very process that is designed to cool me is only making me feel hotter." I gasped for breath, licking my parched lips which only served to make them sticky.
How did I get to this place?
On the horizon in the shimmering distance, I thought I could make out some sort of shelter. I pushed on. My body felt liquid. I dragged my limbs along feeling as if I were slinging them ahead of me as I pulled my body to join them.
There was a pounding in my ears; part maddening, yet serving to drive me on. I tried to take each step on beat. Bam. Bam. Step. Step. How much farther could I go before I collapsed?
Faintly, I heard a sound. I tried to sort out what I had heard. There it was again. Was that a voice? What were they saying? I made a supreme effort to concentrate. The pounding in my head was overwhelming. I paused.
Yes. It was unmistakable now.
My name.
I heard my name.
Startled, I turned.
I see a figure standing beside me.
I'm disoriented for a moment, then my eyes regain their focus.

"Oh, hi." I say smoothly, turning to snatch up my water bottle. The pounding ceases abruptly as the music overhead changes and I slow to a walk.

4?!

I circle the number like a wrestler gauging his foe, contemplating it's magnitude.



It has honestly not occured to me to even consider 4 because I've been so focused on my accomplishment. I mean, running 3 miles is major for a non-runner like me.



4?!



Honestly, FastLane! Are you kidding me? You're going to make a runner of me yet!!!

Just Put One Foot in Front of the Other...

I ran with the sun this morning.

Although, "I plodded as the sun rose" was more like it. (That just doesn't have the same panache though, does it?)

As I ran,
I heard birds calling out their "good mornings",
inhaled the sweet fragrance of an unknown flower,
dodged cars as they rushed to their places of obligation,
reminisced as buses wove in and out of streets,
watched businesses open and employees clock in,
saw trucks delivering their goods to stores--

Watching my city awaken.
,

And as I plodded, I pondered...

how do people do this for 10 and 20 miles at the time?!