Ramblings from a run...

Three days in a row I had been wakened by the sound of rain and thunder.

Three days in a row my early morning run was cancelled by Mother Nature.

Today, on the fourth day, I again woke up to a pouring sort of rain. Another day with no run in sight.  By the fourth day of not running, my legs start to get restless, my head yearns for an hour of mindless wandering; free-thinking-no-questions-to-answer(and the questions are getting harder these days), and my ears want to simply hear the pounding of my own heart beating to the rhythm of my shoes on the pavement which move in time to the beat of my running tunes.

By 9 a.m., the clouds started to break and a hint of the glorious sun started to shine it's golden rays on the rain-drenched ground.

Phil: Go for your run now, there's another storm coming.

He could sense my restlessness without me saying a word.

Me: Thank you!! Or, did I even thank him? Or was I in such a rush to run I simply fled without a word of good-bye to anyone?

The first mile was a shock to my body as my mind and heart were telling my legs to "speed up", "keep up".

One hour, that's all I had to cram in as many miles as the upcoming storm would allow me.

I came up over a hill to cross a bridge and as I looked to my right, I saw the black clouds looming, and as I looked to my left, the blue sky was there, staking a claim to the day; telling the black clouds to stay away.

After I crossed the bridge, I turned my back on the black sky and ran toward the blue patch of sky that was becoming less and less with every step.

I could still see it though...I sped up...trying to chase that glorious blue and outrun the storm-to-be.

I only listened to the very fastest of my songs, my feet keeping tempo to the beat.

And then I turned...right into the blackness of the sky. I could no longer see the blue, it had surrendered to the dark. But I couldn't stop yet...a few more minutes...I was sure I had a few more minutes...it hadn't been an hour yet...must keep going.

I smelled it before I felt it, the warning smell right before the sky pours. A few drops and then a few more. Suddenly the wind unleashed it's fury, whipping my hair into my eyes and making my legs feel like they were  trudging through mud.

I must speed up...almost home...almost home...almost home.

I pass two runners and then a third, exchanging smiles in a knowingly way of understanding that we are getting soaked...but it's O.K. because we are running.

Thunder rumbles overhead, I turn up my music so I don't hear it. The sky opens up and the gentle sort of cleansing rain turned into a pounding sort of downpour.

I must hurry...I start to sprint...more thunder, followed by a crack of lightning.  My heart is racing, I start running through other people's yards...I'm soaked to my core...and finally...

I'm home.

And not even ten minutes later, the rain had stopped, the sky once again lightens...but I'm as happy as can be, because sometimes I have to run through the storm to get to my calm.