Running on Love

As I sit on my couch with my feet up, taking a moment to breathe and reflect and try to think of what to write, I find myself staring at my poster of the Ultra Maratón Caballo Blanco.  Or rather the poster seems to be staring at me.

photo courtesy of http://www.visitaurique.com/ultra-maraton/

I suppose I'm missing running...

The trails are calling me... but the couch is so cozy!

Okay, that probably sounds strange coming from someone who runs frequently... nearly daily, and who has run more, certainly farther than most people even consider possible.  

Here I am running in the Burning River 100 miler.  

Yup, I sure am smitten with that running thing.

And yet, I feel a bit of emptiness in my spirit where running usually resides.  I feel a twinge of heartache for running... 

As if running is a lost lover, who's eyes have begun to wander away while I was engrossed this past fall in studies and work and personal melodramas.

An example of what I've been currently engrossed in.  Running more t-tests than time trials.

I feel jilted by running... it's left me for some younger, energetic and longer legged track star.  Okay, enough harping.

I'm trying to remember that I often feel this way after an off-season or injury.  I try to remember that most runners probably feel this way during winter, or off-time.  

GRRRR!  ARGG!

Running frequently packs up for greener pastures while us endorphin junkies are left wondering if we can make friends with reading or napping or watching movies.

Oh cozy chair... Fine, I'll open a book.... or just check Facebook.

The good news is, rest is in fact a powerful thing.  And taking breaks from things we love is okay too.  I always find that taking time to properly rest and heal is not only good for my body, but good from my spirit and mind.  

In down time, I'm often quite creative, reflective, and prolific in planning and learning.

Heck, I learned biological statistics these past four months.  

I'm deep in Masters of Science program, and that cozy little chair has seen a lot of late night study sessions, while I healed from injury.

AND:  Dear running, I'm not letting you go that easy.  Not a chance.  I'm hanging in there.  I'm bringing flowers and candy (vegan of course) and a plan to run:

 not 100, not 1000, but over 2,000 miles this summer on the Appalachian Trail.  

Yes, running, I like you just that much.