5/40

Today I ran 5 miles in about 40 minutes (including the time waiting at stop lights). At about 4 to 6 minutes of waiting at stop lights in total, I estimate that when I was running, I averaged 7:00 minute miles. I'm looking into what kind of equipment I might purchase to more accurately assess my pace.

I started off the run thinking about my grocery list (eggs, butter, buttermilk, yogurt, oatmeal). About a mile into the run, I started going around the Charles River, joining many other runners and cyclists. There were a few moments when I was trying to catch up to people running in front of me as a mini-challenge. On one particularly beautiful straight away I was lucky enough to have no one in front of me. I just looked forward, closed my eyes, and had the wind in my face.

Somewhere in the middle of the run I started thinking about the trailer to the film I'm Still Here, about Joaquin Phoenix, directed by Casey Afflec. The trailer is clips of Joaquin with what sounds like a voice-over by Edward James Almos. I thought about what Edward was saying for a while during the run. I first thought about it, because I enjoy the sound of his voice, old and worn, and aged well like leather or wine. The quote goes something like this:

That's you, drops of water. And you're on top of the mountain, a success. But one day, you start sliding down the mountain, and you think, "wait a minute, I'm a mountain top water drop. I don't belong in this valley, this river, this little dark ocean, with all these drops of water." Then one day it gets hot, and you slowly evaporate into air. Way up, higher than any mountain top, all the way to the heavens. Then you understand that it was at your lowest that you were closest to god. Life's a journey that goes round and round, and the end is closest to the beginning. So if its change you need, relish the journey.

Sometimes it is very hard for me to start running. I know that once I start though, I'll enjoy myself. I can't think of one time that I've gone out running when I haven't. Sometimes I'll complain about how cold or hot it is, but really, I savor all of it.