Running on Empty

I went home sick yesterday, and stayed home sick today. I'm feeling better, but started going stir crazy tonight. As the remains of a beautiful sunny day faded away, I looked out the window (making beads for the first time in months) and had to go run.

I hadn't run in 6 days. I started getting sick on Saturday, and that was going to be my next run day. Tonight I didn't care if I barfed up a lung, I had to feel the pavement under my feet. I just couldn't stand it any longer.

I only ran about 1.5 miles, but it felt great. I wasn't 100%, by any means, and my cough was a little ragged by the end, but it was still better than it has been the last few days, and I got out of the house and stretched my legs a little bit.

I'm so glad that I can go outside to run again. I'll still hit the treadmill when it's too rainy to run, but I have to distract myself so much just to get through 30 minutes on the hamster wheel. Outside I can run without any headphones, just my own thoughts. It's usually a very creative time for me. I can get a fresh perspective on whatever has been rumbling through my mind lately, and really enjoy the feeling of being alive and moving my body outside.

I realized this evening that I do need more solitary time than I've been getting lately. I'm used to having a lot more. I just need a bit of space and time to think things over and relax. That's what my runs are great for, that creative alone time to work things through in my head.

So, I'm off to wrap up my evening, in a better frame of mind than I was in this afternoon.