17.2

Yesterday afternoon I sat with Peter Laraway and Kate Parker at our kids'swim "banquet". The subject of Kate's son running cross country and now track in high school led us to Peter asking me why I run. Hmmmmm.... I couldn't really give one clear reason. I did say that it makes me feel strong and healthy and that it gives me time to think. Kate piped in that it must be something chemical, which I know is true. But, that isn't all it.

Last night when I saw on the SBRR site that they were meeting way out at Zizzo's in Goleta and then working out on the grass, I decided to sleep in a bit and run solo. After getting a Christmas tree with the family, I got a lift from Kevin out to DPHS were I stuck the ear buds in and started off on my what I was guessing a 14 mile trot first north and then south west to the bike path before heading up Modoc to La Crumbre and home. My watch stopped working a long the way for some unknown reason, so when the watch said only 10 miles up by Vieja Valley School, I decided to add Modoc to Las Positas and around Steven's Park. I felt great, so what the heck... Turned to be 17.2 miles (Just 9 miles short of a marathon! Yikes!)

I clicked along at a good steady 9.08 to 9.20 pace for most of it. Although, I really didn't look at my watch much at all. The left leg had to be told to run and the right leg had to be told to not do all the work but nothing hurt. It wasn't a smooth run but I felt strong and steady. I wasn't in any hurry. I had no need for speed. I was using Kevin's IPod due to mine getting washed a few months ago and never coming back to life. Kevin's music was unpredictable and entertaining. The weather was PERFECT. I only had one episode of the sweat and sunscreen stinging in the eyes. All was well. Runs like these on days like this are a major reason I run.

While I run a lot of times I think about the young scholars in my class. It is freeing to think about them with no test scores in front of me and no lesson to prepare. I just think about them. Today I thought about a kid who will remain nameless. He is a wiggly guy who is on meds to keep him sitting in his seat. I thought about how this was a hard week for us due to the prescription not being filled, but that he really really has come a long way functioning as a scholar. He wants it. He is a smart one. He is going to do it. So, I just thought about the award I am going to give him on Friday in front of the 4-6 graders. I also said a little prayer that his parents remember to fill the prescription before Monday. Time to think is a good reason for why I run.

I don't enjoy every single run. Often I struggle through the miles in the dark of morning. It can also be frustrating to get the miles in due to the time it takes to run 40+ miles a week. It was a luxury today to have 2 and a half hours to just run. There is really nothing I wanted to accomplish today other then a long run. I can say that I didn't go for my long run today to get this nice big blister on my big toe or to have another one of my toenails turn purple. I also could do without the swollen right knee that doesn't want to bend after my 17.2 adventure. Fortunately today I wasn't blessed with the runner's tummy that usually hits me at around 4PM... but this could just be due to the fact that I usually do these long runs much earlier in the morning and with some of the miles at a much faster pace than 9.30 minutes. But, with all that said... I can say that I ran 17.2 miles today and enjoyed each and every mile, and I probably could have done at least 2 more miles before I started to slow down and not like it anymore.

So,I guess I run because I can. If I don't, I wouldn't be able to... and then I get depressed. Does that make sense to anyone else but me?