Call Me Crazy!

I have always been suspicious of people who run. On the rare occasions when I've had to get up early (trips to the airport for example), I have seen them out there...running, in their special running jackets and tight pants with the reflective stripes the sun barely struggling up behind them. I have always thought that these folks were completely and utterly mad. Why?? Why would anyone get out of a warm bed at 5 in the morning to go and run 5 miles in the pre-dawn, freezing cold rain? Why? Is there a chemical imbalance, or perhaps some unfortunate gene mutation? What could possibly provoke this behaviour? Madness...that's what. I could maybe wrap my head around getting up that early to go to the gym...at least it is climate controlled and has cable..civilized, if you will.

Well, you probably know where I am going with this. It was absolutely not 5 in the morning as you all well know, I don't do anything at 5 in the morning let alone run down the street for no good reason. No, it was a very respectable 6:20 pm when I laced up my "for indoor use only" running shoes and tucked my shame under a brightly coloured toque and started jogging outside, on the street, with no destination. And so I ran. Not very far, and not for very long. But I ran. And, can I tell you? Way better then running on that stupid treadmill! I could have done without the "it's cold, but I'm all sweaty" feeling and the constant runny nose, but still a much better experience. It made a huge difference to have physical goals (even if it was only "the next stop sign") instead of measuring myself against an angry, red digital timer.

So, for all you runners out there. Perhaps you are not completely certifiable, perhaps there is something more to this. Although , you are on your own with the 5 am nonsense. That is really sheer madness.

I brought along the crew to document the occasion. (In the photographers defense; the dog thought that we were playing a game and was trying to chase me!)