Outside today

Before I left for the day I set myself up to ensure I would run outside. I did this by grabbing a long sleeve shirt and no hand towel. This way I would almost have to run outside because running inside with my long sleeve shirt would be not only the death of me, but the death of the person working out next to me (If they had to smell me the whole time).

As I headed out the door I was thankful for sabotaging any chance of running inside; the weather was a perfect, sunny day with temperatures in the low 50’s and a slight breeze. I didn’t have to wait for my watch to sync up as I had intentionally left it at home. I wanted a run where I wasn’t obsessively focused on my splits or times. By not having my watch I had to find something to focus on and to be honest I resorted back to the days where I thought about life events.

I started out my 8 mile jaunt by heading towards Dretzka Park. If I had to estimate a pace I may have been going around 7:00 miles. When I hit the park my first thought was “where do all of these people work” and “I need a job where they are at” because there were a lot of people playing Frisbee golf. After making my way up the ½ mile hill I crested at the top and realized that my legs were still pretty tired from last Sunday’s Green Bay Marathon (Around the 2 mile marker). Crossing the busy intersection leading from the park I had a straight shot for the remaining 2 miles. Mile 3 was uneventful and rather boring, but mile 4 brought on its own interesting features. Anytime you run parallel to the city dump several thoughts enter your mind:

1.) Why did I pick this route
2.) How can I incorporate Oscar the Grouch into my blog because I feel like I’m in a trash can right now
3.) The house that is for sale, ummm, yeah, not going to buy that one
4.) Why do all of those birds like the food that’s coming out of that place
5.) Ummmm, doesn’t smell too bad maybe I’ll be ok
6.) Nope - - there the smell is
7.) Now it’s gone - - - weird how a tiny shift in the wind can take the smell of the dump away even when your 50 feet away

So after mile 4 I turned around and headed back to work. Now all of those favorable smells I had from miles 3 to 4 all came back during miles 4 to 5, but the initial thoughts of above changed. I started to reflect on a recent topic on hillrunner.com of why we run. Within the past year I accomplished several of my personal goals: running two marathons, qualifying for Boston, going under 3:00 hours, running more base miles. But those are surface level goals and not a true response to the question of why I run. As this question was bouncing around in my head I was running back through Dretzka Park and all of those Frisbee golf folks were still there, but I noticed all of the people in their cars smoking. Now I don’t claim to be Mr. Healthy, I love my sweets, but I never understood why people smoked. And to hide out in your car at a park just to get your fix seems a little over the top (there had to be 2 dozen cars lined along the road with people in there smoking). Then it hit me. Even though running fast times at a race and obtaining some of my own personal goals are enjoyable I ultimately run for my health and family. I run so I can still be running when I’m 90 years old. I run so I can be that 95 year old Grandfather who can still walk up and down the street with their wife and enjoy their later years healthy and happy. I run so I can be that mid 40 year old dad who likes to, and can, play outside with their children. I run so I can be that 50 year old friend who is running 20 miles with other running friends just to enjoy their company. I run so I can enjoy my life (and also chase my daughter’s potential dates away and actually keep up with them)

So running not only defines something that I love, but also defines the desires to grow old with the ones that I love. I know that it’s hard sometimes for the ones close to me to comprehend why I do what I do, but to honestly answer that question is I run not only for myself, but for them.

I couldn’t run without their support so no matter how many miles I run I wouldn’t be where I am without my family. Thank You