Tuesday's run

Once again did an out-and-back to the York Golf and Tennis Club this morning, but about a minute into my run my Garmin flashed low battery and moments later was out of juice. I must have left it on too long after my last run before turning it off...

So without a way to track time - I wasn't even sure when I left the house - I just ran. I pushed pretty hard and it felt like a faster pace than the same run a few days earlier but hard to tell. I do enjoy running this time of year - the cool weather and brilliant foliage make it a true respite from my regular day to day responsibilities.

Someone the other day asked me if I get "bored" doing all this running. I responded, "Does a Formula One driver get bored tearing around the same track for two hours?" First, I love to run. That helps. Sure, there are some days I just don't feel like it - but invariably if I do put on my kicks and go, I always feel glad that I did. Always. And of course there are plenty of runs I can't wait for the merciful end which can't ever come fast enough.

However running has become a bona fide passion, something I do to at times to relax, to escape, and other times to test my limits. I think about my pace, my rhythm, my breathing, how my muscles are responding, the terrain, what lies ahead, can I push harder....I cycle through a mental checklist, often without even realizing it. Other times I just get lost in music, but I am running more and more these days without it.

So the race car analogy seems appropriate for me, especially when running with the clock ticking and a specific time that I'm trying to beat. That's what really keeps me going, the silent inner battle just you wage against yourself, you know the time, how hard you need to push, can you do it, I can see the finish, just give a little bit more. Few things in life are more satisfying than a run when you wring every ounce of effort you have, and those few quiet moments after you're done you can say I gave it my absolute best - sore and exausted but proud and content.