Experiencing life by the light of a headlamp

With the pressures of life, sometimes things have to be shifted in your schedule to make sure that you are still actively participating in the things that you love. As a husband, dad, employee, coach, friend, son, brother, board member, member of my church and the whole host of other hats that I wear, sometimes I do have to put my silly hobby to the side and shift when I participate. 

Lately, just due to life, I have had to make some changes in my schedule to when/where I do my running. Not to say that I have downgraded the amount that I am running (I have 2 straight months of 200 mile months) but I do have to be creative when I am going to do it. 

I am insanely lucky to have a wife that understands the fact that I have to do this in order to be in a good mood. I go through tremendous lows when I haven't run for a few days. It is like a drug addict coming off of a bender. I get cranky, moody, irritable and freak out for no reason. Now, don't get me wrong. I am not violent. Never have been and probably never will be. I am a yeller, I recognize it and trying to work on it. I can get a little snippy with my kids over incredibly small things. Running is a drug. It really does help to keep me sane, but you do have to make sure to take care of all responsibilities before participating. 

I have found that instead of forgoing my runs because of other priorities, I have had to do really early morning runs or go late at night. Although this doesn't allow me to run trails since parks close at sundown and don't open until sunrise, but I have found some peace in running in my little town. 

Running/living in Central Iowa does not always hand you the best of conditions or the most understanding people. I have had things thrown at me (firecrackers included), have been yelled at, swerved at, people have driven through puddles on purpose to splash me. I have been cursed at (for what I'm not sure), called names and very sweetly been asked if I need a ride somewhere and all of these have taken place during the day. With all of these objections in the light, running in the dark can provide a whole new level of challenge. Not only do I have to worry about cars not seeing me but I have to worry about potholes, stuff in the road and animals. You constantly have to have your head on a swivel due to very low lighting but you get to tune into something you don't get to when running in the daylight. 

I am one of "those people" that runs with a headlamp when it's dark. Running around town it looks really stupid wearing a light strapped to your forehead, but it does give me a sense of security. When it's really dark it does limit what you are looking at to a circle of light that is 5 foot in diameter and roughly 5 feet in front of you, but it heightens all of your other senses in a way that you can't get during the day. You pay attention to EVERYTHING around you. "What was that rustling in the ditch?". "How far is that car away?". "What is that light coming up behind me?". Although it sounds really scary, it is very therapeutic.

There is a section of town that's on a hill and undeveloped. This is the part of my run that I enjoy the most because this is where you can experience everything that is beautiful about this world. This section is where in the morning you can look to the East and see the day begin or you can look to the West and see the day come to an end. You can look out and see the lights going on for people getting ready for work or you can look at the town and see the blue light of a television. You get to experience the cold of night setting in or you can start to feel the warmth of the sun as the sun comes up. The birth of the starry night sky or the rainbow of colors as the sun breaks the clouds. It is truly a breathtaking experience and can certainly change the monotony of your usual route. 

What does this post mean to you? People will often use the excuse of not having time to run. I've been there. I understand that life can get hectic. Sometimes it seems like you can never get enough time in a day to do anything. Most people don't have the luxury of being able to exercise during the day and instead of making time at night or in the morning they just don't do it. My advice though is that you just have to do it. Getting up early SUCKS!!! I prefer not to run at 4:00 am, but sometimes you just have to do it. Think of it as a great way to get your brain and body started for the day. Running at night SUCKS too because after I get home there are nights when I just want to crack a beer and sit down on the couch but I know that I have to do this in order to keep order in my house. It can be an incredible stress reliever for your day and help you sleep better. Whatever the time of day just find some time to get out and enjoy the world around you.

Stay Strong, Run Long

Tha Messenjah.