I love running outside and enjoying the multitude of sensory experiences that come along with it. The feel of the sun and wind against my skin, the sights and smells that mother nature has to offer. But, there's something to be said for running on the treadmill, too. When I'm running outside, I feel free and at peace with myself. I can lose myself in my body's ability to work efficiently and cover so much ground, but I still feel connected to my environment. But, when I ran my 7 miles on the treadmill at the gym yesterday I was able to reach that other place I go when I am running. I can run until I am completely numb and everything else just falls away. For an hour, I can exist in a bubble, unaware of much around me. I am lulled by the music in my ears, the seconds ticking away on the digital readout of the machine, the vibration of my body with each turnover of my legs, and the feeling of the oxygen moving in and out of my lungs. The effort of my muscles pulling me forward on that path to nowhere is an anesthetic. I'm feeling a little sad, though, that I have been needing to reach that place so often lately. I don't know how to shake this sadness that has settled into my bones, even though I have so much to be happy about and look forward to.
Saturday, August 23, 2008
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
3 comments:
I love the picture you paint. I can't wait to feel that way too.
It's a pretty beautiful experience. I'm so hooked on running, for the many benefits it has to offer. I hope you can find it, too. :)
I wish I could experience what you find when you're running. All I am feeling is "ow" and "am I done yet" for the most part. But I want to get there, I really do. Thanks for the comment on my blog. I really want to make running my "happy place."
Post a Comment