Surprise

I heard it last night – drops of moisture
as I dozed off to REM land.

On waking, my legs ached to moved

time for a run.

Temperature – colder than it’s been

hat and gloves, not worn in weeks.

Opening the door, standing at the threshold

moisture falls from the sky.

Hesitation, doubt, questioning

do I want to go out there?

A step into it

not rain, not snow, dry and fresh.

A quick change

something to deal with damp.

Off I go

with my warmup steps.

Whitish grey clouds redefine the horizon

a smaller bubble of a world today.

White specks falling, blowing

not rain, not quite snow, beautiful.

Legs gliding, lungs offering its own mist

arms in a rhythm, feet gracing the earth.

An internal peace, a playful smile

gratitude flows, a deep stillness pervades.

Back home, watch stopped

the end of another striking run.

What a way to begin a new day.

Old running shoes

What to do with old running shoes?

http://www.dailycamera.com/ci_20307978/what-do-old-running-shoes

While Boulder will recycle them, there are plenty of organizations that will accept old running shoes as donations and then distribute them around the world where they are needed. In Boulder, One World Running is one of those organizations. You can donate at Fleet Feet or Boulder Running Company here in Boulder and there are dozens of running shops throughout the US which also accept shoes for One World Running.

Your shoes have served you well while on your feet tredding trails and streets - give them a new life somewhere else!

Two feet versus Two Wheels

I'm still recovering from a few minor injuries incurred from too much enthusiasm several weeks ago. Muscles are recovering, loosening, and rebuilding, and reserves are growing again.

Even with the firm recovery efforts, I'm still feeling plenty of good energy to go, but right now my body can only handle so much running so I've done a few bike rides to keep muscles moving and loose. I've been out the last two weekends in the beautiful early-spring being brought to Colorado.

I've ridden tens of thousands of miles on a bike, thousands of hours in the saddle all over the US and the world. In all weather, all times of the day, from an hour to 8 day events. I am completely comfortable on a bike, my legs know how to spin, my body knows how to move. All this becomes evident every time I swing my leg over a bike and clip-in.

With all the distance riding I know the elements of stillness and peace within my body and soul. It has it's own clarity for me. I've been able to bring all that experience and knowing from the bike to my running. Running has become my meditation.

But two wheels are very different from two feet on the ground and this became evident again this weekend. I love the speed of the bike, being outside, feeling the wind, seeing the world at a slower pace. It's also a floating sensation, skimming over the ground, feeling the elements but with the only earthly connection through a couple tiny patches of rubber onto man-made surfaces.

Running puts me directly in the elements and connected to the earth, especially running on trails. That connection makes all the difference to me and one of the reasons I'm now a runner. I've been able to bring all the experience and stillness from the bike to my running. and it's so much more meaningful now with the stillnesss and that earthly connection.

I get the cyclist, but running moves me.