Week 7 done!

             This was a great run! I got up at 4:10am and got ready. Luckily I went to bed on time and getting up required no effort. I got dressed, lubed up, filled my water, and out the door I went. The air was so humid....88% humidity at 4:50am. How is that for hot? Of course I began to sweat immediately. 

To make the runs go faster, well not GO faster....to make the runs FEEL like they are going faster I always listen to podcasts on the first half of any run. It forces me to slow down and also keeps me occupied on thoughts and not my body. I listened to a total of three posts from Spartan Up podcast. 

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                      This is one of my earliest runs for a long time and I realized that initially I was a bit spooked running on my own, but soon regained the confidence I have always had in the dark mornings. Soon I eased into my run and relaxed and most importantly, stopped turning to look behind me as if someone would jump out any minute. 

Again, my friend, the shadow. I should do an art work with these shadow shapes. There is a comfort that seeing them give me. I don't need to turn around to check for anyone, for shadows don't lie, omit or change facts....I will surely see anyone sneaking up behind me thanks to shadows. 

            This is right before sunrise...maybe another 40 minutes to go before the sun fully shows itself. 

              And here comes another day. There is something so sacred about ushering in the sun and being there to witness it. Perhaps it's because it brings to mind the idea of hope, possibilities, promise, so much can happen in a day.....bad OR good. I know this is super morbid, but this may very well be my last day and I am privileged enough to see THE moment the sun broke through the horizon and aware enough to really appreciate it to the bottom of my heart. Again, so much can happen in ONE day, for example, yesterday was Victoria Marten's last day. Victoria was a 10-year-old that was drugged, raped, strangled to death and dismembered by her mother and her boyfriend just hours before her birthday party. Today, during my whole run I kept going back to this poor girl's last day, last hour, last breath and cried and prayed as I ran and sent her little soul amazing love and dedicated all my painful miles to her short life and her innocent soul. Moments like these I know that running will be with me until I die, I will be that old lady who shuffles out daily for her morning run. Running has helped me process my life in an emotionally healthy and productive way. We might not be able to change what's going on out there but we can work on ourselves, and make our little circle of connections the best, most loving community we can create. Unfortunately, and no matter what we do though there will be many more Victorias just as there are millions of innocent animals in slaughterhouses living miserable lives just to feed us all or how there are thousands upon thousands of dogs pressed in cages by the dozens in North Korea ready to be cooked alive...but if we can conquer this hill before us through pain and/or tears, we might also be able to conquer jealousy or greed, discontent and boredom.....life is so much richer through running. 

            Sunshine against the gate.....gorgeous picture. 

You know it's super early when your shadow is super LONG!

And I'm back home!!

Tried out my new bra today.....no, I did not chafe in the old spots where my old bras would hurt me.....now I have a new spot where I chafe.....how funny is that? Even trying to escape chafing mirrors life. You think all your troubles will go away with something new and shiny only to find a host of new problems.....I had to laugh.....and when I got into the shower I had to cry.....