New Year's Day and the Run That Shouldn't Have Been

Local Trail, 12.2 miles, 1:43:21

2015 was welcomed in North Texas with a wet, cold, gray morning that covered tree and trail in a thin, glass-like coating of shimmering ice. Each breath revealed a puff of vapor as I began an easy run down the street and out of my neighborhood. A local paved running trail is not far from my house, and within a few miles I was running alone on quiet paths as the rain fell quietly. My thoughts today fluctuated between the year that was and the year that was to come. I was not exactly living "in the moment," but New Year's Day certainly offers one a chance for some reflection.

The year that has passed saw many comings and goings, as it were. New friends and new experiences filled my heart with joy, as life continued to inspire and amaze at every turn - sometimes in very unexpected ways. And yet my heart remains heavy at the loss of family and friends, particularly relatives who passed away last year. Life is short, and while there are days that may seem to stretch forever, none of them should be taken for granted. Neither should the ones we care about. Today they are here, and tomorrow, they are gone. The passing of time only serves to remind me of this reality.

"Pal", 1930-2014.

And so with a mind swirling with images, emotions, and reflections, I trudged along, feeling the drops of cold rain and sleet against my cheeks. Needless to say, on more than one occasion I wondered why I wasn't curled up in front of a fire with my thoughts and a cup of hot lemon tea!

From a running and standpoint, the last few days haven't exactly been stellar for me. I've been fighting the affects of a respiratory illness that has slowed my training to a crawl. I have been able to get a few shorter runs in over the last week but my overall confidence in advance of the Bandera 100k has been on thin ice (so to speak). I had hoped to get another decent run in over the next few days, and hoped today that I could get a decent hour in - if nothing else, just to get myself moving again. But by all rights, I probably should not have been out running today. I was pleased that I felt better than I expected - my persistent cough had subsided, my legs felt much better than they did a couple days ago, and the cold, wet weather did not bother me as much as I had anticipated. 

My 8 mile run turned into 10, then 12 as my mind continued to sift through the memories of the past year. My breathing was easy, my pace comfortable, and with a grateful spirit I soon rounded back toward my home. Despite the adverse conditions it was a great way to kick off the year. There is much that I am looking forward to in 2015 as well - but that will be the subject of a future post. For now, I need to make that cup of lemon tea and head for the fireplace.


NOTE. I have accepted a January challenge to run and write every day, called the Write And Run 31 challenge. I'm looking forward to it! It'll be an added bonus as I track my preparation for Bandera 100k and Rocky Raccoon 100 later this month.

I am adding an element to this as well, and that is to spend a few minutes each day with God. Interestingly, as far as discipline in my diet and training routine are concerned, I seem to be pretty solid. Yet I tend to neglect other critical areas of my life, and none is this more evident than in nourishing my soul. I may comment on this in future posts, but for now, safe to say it is a third element of my January commitment. I hesitate to say "resolution," because right now I am just taking it one day at a time. Perhaps with some divine intervention it might actually stick this time!