What I think about when I think about running

I just finished reading a book by Haruki Murakami entitled "What I Talk About When I Talk About Running". Murakami is a Japanese novelist who also enjoys long distance running and has run over 25 marathons. My dad recommended and lent this book to me and it was the perfect book for me to read right now, as I am more seriously (for me) beginning to train for my fourth half marathon. Anyway, I'm not sure I would recommend this book unless you are or want to be a long distance runner, or are a serious fan of Murakami, but it got me thinking about why I run, what I think about running, and what I get out of running.

I am a fairly anxious, high-strung person. Did you know that about me? I'm not sure where all of my anxiety comes from but it's definitely a generalized, pervasive anxiety. It makes me a little...neurotic. Neurotic about how tasks must be done, managing time, the state of my house if we're going to have company over...it's really pretty illogical. If I don't keep a close eye on this anxiety, it can become overwhelming. Overwhelming to the point of me having meltdowns because I just have so many things to do and I don't know where to start so I am paralyzed and can't do anything. See? So I am always striving to keep a balance between staying motivated and productive but not crossing over to the no-man's land where I feel like I can never relax.

I have found there are three things that are vital when it comes to managing my anxious nature: eating right (or at least ok), sleeping enough (this NEVER happens as I am the lightest sleeper in the world), and exercising. For me the easiest way to exercise is running. There is something about the simplicity and physicality of running that clears my mind. I am constantly thinking - my thoughts racing all over the place, ideas forming, opinions springing up, connections between current and past experiences being made. For me the beauty of running is I don't have to think. I can just focus on the time, the scenery, making it up this hill, my protesting legs and lungs...but my mind isn't leaping ahead of me. Murakami writes about running in a void, and I thought that pretty accurately captured what I love about it.

Wisconsin has given me some truly beautiful runs with some very special friends. We have endured blazing heat, chilling cold, multiple jogging strollers, sore knees, bad feet, and constant bathroom breaks (all for me) together. One of my favorite running memories of all time that I will carry with me is of a run I took with Anna and Catherine on Rock Island, which is in Lake Michigan. Trails are by far my favorite venue for running, and this trail was perfect. It looped around the island and was about 6 miles. The weather was perfect Wisconsin summer weather - clear blue sky, warm, but not too hot. We ran through the woods, sometimes coming out into small grassy clearings with incredible cliff top views of Lake Michigan, sometimes passing old crumbling buildings from the days when the island's lighthouse was in use. It was a dream. I can still capture in my mind's eye how energizing and peaceful that run was, the blur of colors (shades of green, blue, brown), the shafts of sunlight through the trees.

I will miss Wisconsin.

I will miss my running buddies, and all of the other wonderful friends I have made. If I think about that too much I will start crying and then I will never clean my kitchen or fold my laundry today, and these need doing.

I've heard Albuquerque has some great high altitude runs, though! And there is still time for you to train and run the Lake Geneva Half Marathon with me, Jess, and Dianne (so far the only confirmed contestants). Join me as I do some great LSD (long slow distance).

Ha, ha.