Takin' it Easy

You know the Eagle's song, right? Take it Easy. After all, you don't want the sound of your own wheels to drive you crazy. Lighten up, while you still can, cuz you'll never be here again. So...something something...I'm climbin' in; take it easssssyyyy.

I'm practicing taking it easy. It's going all right, I suppose, except that I don't know what to do if I'm not working. I like to work, get things done, go places and conquer things. Yeah, I'm not really that great at taking it easy. It must take a special person (maybe as in short bus) to take it easy all the time. Just not my gift, I suppose.

But I did take it easy today:

I started my day off with an 11 mile run. It was raining, so I did the first three miles (the warm-up miles as I call them) at the gym on that blasted treadmill. As soon as the rain stopped pelting the ground and lightened up to a sprinkle, I was out the door and on the road. I'd been aching to run 400S, so I hooked a left on Lincoln and headed for my destination. I had to run across the overpass to get to Frontage Road, which would give me the scenic route to 400, but there was one little problem with said overpass: no shoulder space. So, I did what any sane person would do; I ran down the middle. I passed a Sheriff that gave me a double look as I didn't bother to go around the road construction safety cones, but through them (after all, the shortest distance between two points is a straight line). But he couldn't turn around to get me, so I was scott-free (what does that mean anyway?), a real running fool. What's he gonna do anyway, give me a ticket for Reckless Running?

Oh no, my blogging time is being threatened by people who actually want to converse with me. Save meeeeee!

Anyway, I hit Frontage Road and off came the jacket, since I'd kicked the pace up a couple notches to get off the overpass I was burning hot, and with that jacket off, oh, how wonderful it was. I love my racerback running tops, especially when my skin is being kissed with soft raindrops and the faintest warm breeze. It was wonderful. WONDERFUL. I ran by farmers watering their fields, and the breeze brought the most wonderful mist of cool water right to me (no, I didn't open my mouth--I know where that water comes from!). I ran past dairies and had moo-cows (as I call them) actually run up to the fence and along side me. It was wonderful. I ran down country roads with few houses and inhaled the fresh earth, wonderfully scented from the refreshing rain; it was wonderful. I ran past a house that had 8 dogs and wasn't eaten alive, that was wonderful, too. I ran up hills without getting tired; wonderful. I ran with the view of the sun breaking through storm clouds before me, demanding a bit of glory from the darkness surrounding it; wonderful.

Then I got tired.

The sun hid away and the wind picked up. The rain started to spit on me and suddenly I had to zig-zag my miles to get a reprieve from the wind, numbing my face and threatening to carry my hat away in its wicked windy clutches. The jacket went back on and I started to get cold. NOT WONDERFUL. I took the Arlo Lott road and nearly died going up the hill, but once at the top, nearly got eaten by Michelle's flesh-devouring canines. And then I was too tired to run anymore. The hill, the dogs; not wonderful. I knew I'd have to save some stamina for the Walmart road (is it 200S?), as it's a dangerous road to run, but is safer to run than walk.

I seriously thought about turning in at WalMart and calling for a ride home. I knew I was hitting the wall. What I really needed was water. But it wasn't raining enough to actually open wide and say "ahhhhh." I couldn't let my pride be bruised, so I fought the merciless wind and stinging random drops of rain until I hit Lincoln again, and got a bit of a break as I ran the mile back to the gym. I was, by then, acutely aware of how I needed to retire my running shoes, as they felt like thin pieces of cardboard on my feet. I felt this about 3 miles back, or was it 4, but I was REALLY feeling it now; NOT WONDERFUL.

But I do have a new pair of running shoes now. And they even have just a splash of color (pink, of course) on them; wonderful.

I'm tired and my head aches, as today is a fasting day. (I'm taking it easy, remember, and what can be easier than not having to eat for an entire day--it frees you up to do so many other things).

I'm sure there's more to my story, but I'm afraid it's movie time. Oh what did the Red Box bring me tonight?

I could really go for my Junior Mints and my salted cashews right about now. As for Ben and Jerry, they're not allowed to come over for a while thanks to them visiting too much lately and bringing Love Handle with them. I love you guys, but I gotta say goodbye, at least for a while. 2 more days of fasting and we can kiss the Love's goodbye and welcome you back in, but until them, I'm sorry but you'll have to stay away.

And yes, my knees are now aching. They will, I foresee, hurt all the way through Thursday evening so that come Friday, I'll salivate over which roads I want to run the next Saturday morning.

That's me, takin' it easy.