Wow! The thoughts that come up after a long run. A run long enough that I don't focus on my pace. I don't think about the day to come, how I will feel in another 10 minutes, what is for dinner tonight. I can stay present, thinking only about how I feel right then, looking around me, marveling at my ability, and sometimes sucking in air and wishing the present hill would come to an end. But it is what happens after the run also that is so interesting. As soon as I stop my mind is flooded with thoughts of possibilities, what I want to do, amazement of what I just accomplished, feelings for others, how they have shaped my life. I smile at the end of a run, because it was my run, whether it was fast or slow, easy or hard. There is no judging by anyone but myself. This is part of the reason I love the independence of running, biking and triathlon. I don't have to rely on anyone else to accomplish my goal, and I don't have to worry about letting anyone else down. Although I am learning that playing with others is fun too. Accepting help becomes easier. Yes, I can put my bike on my car all by my big girl self and have done so a million times. But if a friend wants to hold up the straps as I lift the bike on the car, that is what he wants to do, why in the world should that bother me. It no longer does. I love the person that I have grown to be. Not just the athlete, but the entire person. Who knew that 90 minutes of running would ever evoke 10 minutes of writing. Bring it on, and never let it stop!
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