Thoughts from the Road

I hadn't been on the road for months. I missed the road dearly. Every time I looked out a window I could hear the road calling out to me, simply saying, "Run... Run..." It took all of my weak heart not to go out on that inviting road and run away my problems. It was how I dealt with the majority of my problems. An alcoholic would drink, a drug addict would shoot up, a glutton would eat, I ran. The winter air had crept on me. I was getting weak and strong at the same time. I did cross training that kept my fitness up, but I started to doubt if I would still run as if I had no limitations, no boundaries. I bundled up in three layers, for it was only 15 degrees outside. I sat and stared at my shoes, thinking of how they represented my running life; old, worn, and seasoned. They would definitely be getting those last few miles in them today. I realized these shoes had never been worn by another soul in their entire existence; I tied them tight. I walked to the door. It was still early; the sun was rising but did nothing to stop the bitter coldness from hitting every piece of exposed skin. A new layer of snow was on the ground as more gently fell from the sky. I breathed in the cold winter air and smiled. I started my run; tired, cold, stiff, and grumpy. My body seemed to remember every injury I had collected over the years. I smiled simply because I could run again. There was complete silence out there, other than the crunch of snow and my heavy breathing there was nothing else. I focused, remembering all the miles from the past and the trials I had been through and simply ran. Six minute pace. I had tried to explain it to my friends why I ran, but they will never understand the simplest reasons why a runner runs. They will never understand why a runner would get up early on a day off from work to run for three hours. They will never understand why someone would pay money to run down a road with people you may not even know. They will never understand the camaraderie that is represented from a simple head nod in mid-stride. Most importantly they will never understand the soft crunch of snow.