Well I don’t necessarily mean angry but sometimes you get those days when your personal life or home life is just getting to you or maybe work is being particularly challenging.
I just had it. My mood was just at that point. My blood was up and cold weather or not I had to get out on the road. No warm up or stretch or slowly building up speed, just run.
My feet pounding the pavement hard. My fists practically punching the air as I strode harder and harder. Glancing left and right at a red light. Good. No traffic. I wasn’t planning to stop anyways.
Lengthening my stride as much as my short legs can. I reach the park. The trail leading to the park is flooded over. I grab the railing and vault it. Haven’t done that in decades but I can’t stop now. Slipping on the mud a bit. Shaking it off like a dog. Need to keep going.
No one’s out today. I cruise straight through like a missile. Reach the other side and there’s solid traffic. No chance to get across. I run alongside till the traffic abates and get to the median. More traffic so I hop and run on the median till I get my chance.
More than halfway done and not a twinge of fatigue even though I’m still going all out. A little old lady walking along in the distance. I will soon pass her but the sidewalk is narrow. I look farther down at the oncoming traffic. I’m going to run round her using the street.
My eyes estimate the traffic’s distance and speed and my body’s senses give me an estimate of my speed. A quick mental calculation gives me the probability of pulling this off. Everyone can do this. It’s instinctual. You do it every time you catch a ball. I lunge sideways and run round her and then leap back onto the sidewalk never breaking stride.
A major intersection. I glance at all the traffic lights I can see. Run to the median and have to wait for crossing traffic. I pause and flex my knees. They’re stiff and ache a bit. I keep going after the last car passes.
The last stretch. Finish strong. Stretch out those steps as far as possible. Almost slide into the front door.
Now the sweat pours off me. My eyes red rimmed from the salty sweat in them. I don’t think I have a spare ounce of water in my entire body.
Shower off in ice-cold water. I don’t even remember what upset me.
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