Running in Rain and New Shoes

My new shoes, Under Armour's, were waiting for me last night when I got home from work. An experiment in brand switching, I've gone from Asics to Brooks...with some research, I liked what I read about UAs type of fit- the ad video was done by an triathlete, uberrunner who worked with them to engineer the shoe. I was determined, no matter what the weather, to try them out today.

And yes, it wasn't raining to begin with. The weird stiffness of a new pair of shoes was offset by their structure. Snug where I need it, my hopes were high as I headed up Park to make my usual Griffin loop. The rain began before I made it to my first stop at Publix, but not heavy enough to cause delay. I don't mind rain running as long as it's not too chill...so back out, heading west, it was cloudy, drizzly, but I made the turn at 40th and still going strong.

As I flew out to the bottom of the Stirling intersection, I managed to duck under a garage overhang just in time as a massive storm broke open buckets of rain, lightening and thunder. Not good stuff to be caught out in, so I cooled my heels, did a few stretches, and waited...avoiding the wind, wandering through thoughts of mom, the upcoming class, the weekend, what I might wear for the marathon, where to place my long runs in a schedule that feels increasingly squeezed....and telling myself it will all happen in due time. As the rain let up, I decided to move out, throwing my sweat towel over my head and trying to enjoy the rain as a cool-off...by the time I hit Emerald Hills road, I felt pretty loose and was enjoying the shoes...I hit a nice rhythm through puddled roads and appreciated the sweep of my own feet through the heavy, wet air. Rainy runs are emotional, evocative. They bring melancholia to mind; but despite all this, somewhere close to the turn out towards Park, I felt a lift, an exhilaration as the movement took me over and the beauty of the run, with its own character and challenge moved within me.

The engine of awareness is what supports the run; the effort to engage, enjoy and accomplish the goal. I'm glad I became a runner and stuck it out. I hear others say "I'm not running now" or how they don't believe its good for them etc....I know all the research and heard all the arguments. I don't run to be politically correct. I crave the excitement that only a good trek/adventure/expedition into the neighborhood can give me to lighten and sort myself out, to give my body a chance to move to its own speed and rhythm, to write the script of my own inner life.

And when I make it home, I know my day will not be as difficult; I can maintain through anything if I can make it through that storm.