Run No. 4

I had to squeeze run no. 4 in quickly on Sunday.  I knew it was only a matter of time before the flu bug hit.  And it hit hard.  Like being ran over by a truck.  Tea, tea, and more tea.  Folding a blanket was enough exercise to call for a nap… But, the forced rest has been good and probably needed to keep my approaching shin splints at bay–the only major complaint I’ve had since the last two runs.

I noticed this morning that my Vibram’s are beginning to look a bit loved–covered in street puddle splash. With coffee starting to taste good again, I should be able to head out after work today.  The sun has been melting winter away–and I’m overdue.

Running Out of Control

“Suppose you are drinking a cup of tea. When you hold your cup, you may like to breathe in, to bring your mind back to your body, and you become fully present. And when you are truly there, something else is also there—life, represented by the cup of tea. In that moment you are real, and the cup of tea is real. You are not lost in the past, in the future, in your projects, in your worries. You are free from all of these afflictions. And in that state of being free, you enjoy your tea. That is the moment of happiness, and of peace.” - Thich Nhat Hanh

This recent post from Art and Tea hit home the other day.  I remember when my morning cup of coffee was this moment of freedom.  Lately it has become a must-do-to prevent-migraine part of my routine that I combine with other tasks such as checking emails, balancing accounts, and making to-do lists.  I have been cheating myself out of my morning time of “being” and wasn’t even aware of it.

As I reread the passage my mind transported me to the fifth mile of a seven-mile river run in summer.  I read the passage a third time, replacing “drinking” with “running” and “your cup of tea” with “your run” and the passage hit home even harder. There’s something about being out there, miles from home, where everything except my breath is out of my grasp. For that hour I  cannot control anything and that feels extremely satisfying.