This week, I really need to write about something that isn’t current events or politics. I was thinking maybe it would be cathartic to put something to words, but I just can’t do it. And I don’t think anyone needs to read one more piece about how we should have done better. There will be plenty of time for that soon. So I figured I’d write about what I do when I feel like that.
I run.
Have you ever seen that movie “What Women Want”? It's stars Mel Gibson and Helen Hunt and is very terrible. Like 53% on Rotten Tomatoes/misogynistic/not-even-a-good-rom-com bad. Don't go watch it. But do watch this scene (isn't YouTube amazing for having this??)
What Women Want-Nike Commercial
This is the scene that made me want to start running.
I’m sure anyone who is reading this would not be the slightest bit surprised that I am widely sentimental. I love the ideas of things (food, love, sports, travel, family…) almost as much as I love doing the actual thing. I love the romance of running, and yes, I realize how ridiculous that sounds.
I love the sound of running shoes on pavement. I love the sound of measured breathing. I love getting ready for a run, tying my shoes and picking my music. I really love the meditation of it all.
I also realize that very, very few of my runs are actually idyllic and peaceful. I’m fairly injury prone. I have bad feet and weird arches. I’m slow. I’m clumsy. I turn purple when I work out. I get insanely jealous of those annoying people who seem to run effortlessly and with bounce.
Despite all that, running is what I do when I just feel like there’s nothing else I can do. It’s what I can do when I can’t deal with family drama or when work has just beat me down or the news has me feeling just impotent (which happens a lot lately). I put on my running shoes when I just can’t even. I’m lucky enough to live in a beautiful city near a very accessible park along our amazing waterfront.
I also run when I’m stoked. And in the rainy season in Seattle, I run anytime it’s not raining or not raining hard. I love running organized races, much to my runner boyfriend’s dismay (he, understandably, would rather not pay to do something we do for free all the time). I run in the woods, on pavement, next to the beach, and even across a floating bridge.