Cold One: Long Run 1-15-12

I waited until the sun was up for a bit,  in a fruitless attempt to assuage the impact of temps reading under 50 degrees.  And while the uber runners out there,  (yes all you men particularly) will scoff, cold it my real challenge;  I didn't decide to stay in South Florida for nothin'!    Tights, underlayers,  outerlayers,  this time including a very light windbreaker to buffer between....gloves and headband for my ears...  and amazingly,  I shed the outer layers by the time I rounded up to Dania Beach and began the long slog south on Surf road. 

The photo captures the crystalline quality of light with a full on sun sparkling in the cold air!  It felt exhilarating as I caught a second wind and tried my strides heading into North Park.  I wasn't really committing myself to a long loop but willing to give it a try....inspired by the Olympic trials on Saturday and watching my hero Meb take the first finish in 2:09:10!

So I looped a little south at the Publix interchange and meandered my way through the neighborhood side-streets, eventually hitting water as I wound through a dead-end street and the broken fence of someone's small abandoned nursery, leading to Taft.   As usual, I walked the last mile or so and was grateful through the exhaustion to pull out a half-ish  (I believe it's just under 13 miles)  even though I have not loaded up big miles lately.  

Watching the Olympic trials is still exhilarating!   If they let the cameras linger long enough I can study the strides and footfalls;  it was no surprise to me to see Meb take it after I watched his beautiful, light cadence,  a quick dancing which looked as if his feet barely hit the ground,  with an upright, easy posture completely without stress (that anyone could see).   I remind myself that compared to many others, I am in excellent shape.  The ability to run a half-marathon distance no matter how slowly is no easy feat!  I may not be a Meb, or Shalane (Flanagan:  the women's winner),  but as a Rightbrainrunner  it is not the speed or distance which I'm after.  It is the sheer intrinsic love of going out and about on my own two feet, on a little expedition, an adventure, to see the wide open world. 

If you've never gone out for a walk or a jog for the sake of absorbing your natural surroundings,  you are missing one of the best, free means of 'plugging in'....Mother Nature will lay out her Mantra for you,  embedded in the folds of the clouds and the fluid sunlight.   All you have to do is show up.