Remember the commercial, “this is your brain on drugs?” That’s what my Achilles tendons feel like after Saturday’s race. They hurt so bad on Sunday that I shuffled around the house all day at warp speed minus the warp. My recovery strategy was to run my long slow runs this week on the track in town. So today I drove down looking forward to a slow, flat run…..except this was the day they decided to re-pave the track.
I have been wondering when they would repair the cracks that seemed to have doubled in size over the winter. They were affecting my stride since the slight superstitious side of me would never step directly on a crack causing a slight jump every few feet. If they had checked with my schedule, I would have suggested we wait until next week when my legs were ready to take to the hills again.
Since I was forced on the road, I ran through the park and into the nearest neighborhood, weaving up and down the streets lined with little white picket fences…..one street up, the next street down. By this time it’s already 70 degrees and it seemed as if everyone in town was outside.
Lovebirds were sitting on the bench in the park. He was hovered over her like she was the most special thing in his life. You could imagine even the slight breeze blowing her hair was romantic between them. Three guys cycling up the hill together, not one of them a day younger than 70 I’d say, out having a blast laughing and talking about the ride. A couple running, he clearly the runner, but the two of them obviously having fun being together.
Back at home, I’ve spent two days working in the garden with dozens of pretty flowers already in the ground. Even after I started dinner last night, I rushed back out and planted the pot of tulips I had picked up for Easter. Just as I turned my back, Mr. Boggs chewed off the pretty bulbs and now the stems stand naked in my flower bed. The little metal tag on his collar goes clink, clink all over the yard though and he’s so cute you can hardly be mad.
Spring is wonderful. We’ve waited so long for it to arrive and now that it’s here it seems my soul is soaking up the sunshine. One day soon it will be so hot, I’ll come home drenched, sore and dehydrated from running. But today was just perfect, even without the flat run I had earned.
I tell my husband, life is a bit like a pendulum – everything swings back to normal for a brief moment before over-correcting to the other side.
Today, life is at that perfect, neutral position and although we don’t dare stop that clock, isn’t it peaceful to sit and enjoy the bliss for a moment.
The Fartlek 