Morning is the most magical time to me as a runner. The smell of the morning, the luxury of being fortunate enough to view front and center the sunrise, the honor of being physically able to run for miles and miles without stopping, and yes, while smiling, happy to be out there, not a chore or a care for that matter.
Yesterday and today have been profound mornings for me, the explanation will follow. On the road, pounding out those miles and miles, in silence as I am a purist when it comes to running, no music, I have learned so much about myself. I am shaking my head as I type. On the road being completely dependent on no one else but me, relying on me fully to pull me through what ever distance I decide that morning, I have started to tap into what I am made of.
I can deal with hurt, disappointment, anger, and any other emotion there is, on the road. I have dealt with death and on the other end of the spectrum, compete elation. All of it comes down to this though, the end result is always happy, for me at least. When I run, I am on the quest for "Zen." It is the high of the run, more powerful than any drug, from what I understand, that can be administered. The state of which total enlightenment is reached, my thoughts are present, not past and not future. I am in the moment, probably the only time my mind is silent. I can hear nothing, my legs are light as air and I pray or talk to my granny. I start to repeat a mantra, I smile, I can run for days. Wonderful and dangerous state to be in, always searching for it, I never want to leave.
For the past two days, temperatures and humidity levels in my favor, I have set out for new journeys, running courses the opposite direction than usual. Running on trails, which I am quickly loving more than asphalt, and being surrounded by the most picturesque view imaginable. There is a hill that I am so fortunate to have on my course, at the top I can see all around. That is where I get to see the sunrise, that in all actuality watches me. The sun this morning was the ball of fire that usually appears at sunset, the most amazing one I have seen in a while. The sun hid behind the clouds for a while, but then on my decent and arrival back home, I was able to run through the sun rays as I entered my yard.
Over the past two years, I have learned to be grateful for the small things. For example, the ability to even be able to run, the support system I have to chase my dreams and the will to get to the finish line. I appreciate that I can see the sunrise, my granny was blind. I appreciate that I can run, there is nothing wrong with me and though I was told 11 years ago that I, yes I, was told by a medical professional that I would never run again, I am defying the odds and I am in fact running again. I am grateful for being able to defy the odds. I believed I could, so I did....
