Thursday, August 14, 2008

Sometimes I forget the real reason I run...

After a busy day on the road at work, I had to head to Wildwood, to clean the place and get the recycles out.
Today is a scheduled 4 mile run, so where better to run than downashore.
I had a lot on my plate, I had to clean the place, cut the grass, and get a run in, all the while keeping an eye to the sky, as there was a chance of showers.
I got the place cleaned, and headed outside to cut the grass. The last time I was down, the gas can was on empty, and I would have thought one of the other owners would have refilled it last weekend. WRONG! So now, with the sky looking a little threatening, and the wind picking up, I had to head to the WaWa, and get the can filled, because of course the mower had no gas.
Well, after getting it filled, and getting the lawn cut, I was finally ready to head out at about 7:15pm.
I get my running gear out, and don't ya know my Forerunner was DOA! I had just charged it a few days ago.
So know I have a threat of showers, I had no idea how I'm going to time myself.
No way of knowing how fast my miles are. I love knowing my splits. No way of knowing if I am actually going to run 4 miles.
This is insane! I knew the route I was going to run should be 4 miles, but without my Garmin.. Well at least I have my Ipod. That's charged and ready to go!
So here I am, pissed about the mower & no gas, even more pissed about my Garmin being dead, and a sea breeze with a threat of rain. Oh this should be a great run.

Well, I decided to run without any modern gadgets. No Ipod, no garmin, no dry fit Tee (I did use my body glide).
I went Old school, with one of my many FLYERS free tee's(cotton!)they hand out during the playoffs.
It made me think about why we actually run. Think about it. We run because we love it. It shouldn't be about splits, training, ect.. it should be about the love of the run. Getting out there and just enjoying it.
I did that tonite. I ran to the beach, ran along the ocean, with the wind, running with so much sand stuck to the bottom of my shoes, it felt like I was running in cement shoes. Having to jump over little rivers cut into the sand by the ocean.
Having people yell GO FLYERS at me, because I'm wearing a cotton Tee,with character, not a generic blah dry fit shirt. A freakin' cotton one, that weighed a ton by the time I was done.
I have no idea how what my time was, nor do I care.
What I do know, is that I had fun. I enjoyed it. I feel good about just doing a run. Yes it was on my scheduled day, and yea it was a 4 miler, I'm sure, but more importantly, I ran today, because I like to run!
I need to remember that more often.

7 comments:

Michelle said...

Great post and i agree, sometimes its great to just strip down and run sans any technology! Ok, well maybe once a year?? :O)

I am excited to use my new garmin! I have not even opened it up yet and i have it since yesterday! I guess i have to tear myself away from my Mac book right???

J~Mom said...

That sounds really fun!! Every now and then we need that little reminder!

BeachRunner said...

Awesome post and great job on the old school run. I have to remember this post and live (i.e. run) by it's spirit and message. Repeat after me: Why do we run? Because we love it.
Lets - Go - Rangers!

Unknown said...

Oh man.... 99 more days till Philadelphia Marathon. I better go and bust my tail.

Progman2000 said...

Dude - no ipod and no garmin? You're so seventies!

Erin Leigh said...

Every time I see what you go through with that rental I wonder why you don't just hire a service, LMAO.

For a run that didn't start out on the best of notes it sure ended on one!!!

Caitlin said...

Cool post.

This has happened to me before too. I stepped out, forgot my watch, ad go to turn my ipod on, and it's dead. So I just ran. No direction, no set time. I just ran. It's really eye-opening. It makes you realize how much you are missing in the world around you when you disconnect from all the distractions.