Breaking through: Sunday long run 5-19-13

Thank-you Solar flares and photon belt, shimmying and shaking earthquakes, temps high and low, and the ongoing outer drama of a shifting world for stealing my sleep.  Now a persistent pattern,  no matter how much I prepare for a good night's sleep,  I am awake many hours with my head stuck between worlds...until I finally seem to drift unconscious.  And I need that:  as any runner knows,  sleep is our Healer,  sleep is the balm to our sore muscles,  the time-out our body needs to repair the punishment of the roads.

Nevertheless, I jumped out of bed this morning like a firecracker, threw on my gear and was out the door before I could think about it too much ...walking up into the middle of Emerald Hills in the Sunday quiet to warm up,  passing many more walkers and runners than I've seen in a while as I got my run into gear.  Some folks are friendly,  nod and wave.  Others are deep in their rhythm....and hang 'do not disturb' on their energy.  I can relate;  when I have the music up and find myself focused in those multi-layers of internal and external worlds,  the last thing I'm paying attention to is anyone else out there.  Cars may honk at me,  and I am often the subject of someone's ire "get out of the road!" or recently "running on asphalt in too hard on you- run on the grass"  from some guy on a bicycle (thanks for unsolicited advise). Solitude is my aim;  my energy says "just let me be."

Despite a pretty warm morning (and the perpetual lack of sleep) I took it nice and steady heading west,  taking the 441 overpass and skirting around the far side of the Seminoles (a pretty good western stretch!) before cutting through to Sheridan and hitting my John Williams park pit-stop. 

Nature cradled me in hushed tones and unrolled the carpet of Her many colors, deep in the greens of late Spring.  I took my time and drank plenty of water to prepare for the home stretch,  hot now in the full sun along the back roads, lost in a loping gait that took me block by block through the hodge-podge of lives hidden behind closed doors.

Running felt like sovereignty.  Whether I stopped or started,  turned left or right,  I suddenly had the huge appreciation for moving on my own volition, in my own time,  by my own power.  Sunday runs are so important to me for this:  the chance to be completely unfettered off 'the schedule' or the needs and demands of others,  the voice in my own head breaking through the background noise of life's concerns like a chanting, put to the beat of my footfalls.  I felt Something bringing me to this slice of myself has waited for me all along.  Every trail gone cold or lonely road was my own sovereignty practicing for the day when I could muster the confidence to step to it, step on it:  my Path, my awakening, my Day.   If you are pressured by the forces outside of you,  take a moment and consider how your next step will take you further- or closer- to yourself.  And embrace the voice inside which says "yes,  You!"