I don't know that I've had a truly great in-your-face sort of run where you own it and leave nothing unforgiven in a few weeks - maybe even as far back as the Oddyssey Half Marathon. I blamed everything from hydration to boredom to the weather and still nothing changed; not my attitude, my strength or my enjoyment factor. In fact, in the middle of yet another run I wasn't prepared (enough) for, on Saturday, I actually said out loud to myself, "This hasn't felt good in too long." Not even the sun reflecting off the water on the third mile of my first run of the long weekend could snap me out of this funk.
It actually took a two rounds of fireworks, a few beers by the water at night and sleeping past 6AM for a run like today's to be possible. It was one of those "I'm going to crush this" moments when you actually make it through and physically crush something on the other side (for me, I literally stomped a bottle of vitamin water). Mentally, I had to do Saturday's run over. And so I did it the way it was meant to be done. Hard, fast, in high humidity, across a bridge and back, out of breath, with nothing left.
My cheeks were so fiery at mile 4 that I could feel their heat more than anything else and found myself wondering if I looked like one of those clowns with the super-white face and red-circle-cheeks. Up and down the Ben Franklin Bridge was more crowded than usual and completely worth the ascent to see both Camden and Philadelphia clearly celebrating July 4th - flags-a-flying.
With every stride I was pain free and strong, controlled breathing and a smile (finally) back on my face. Sometimes it's nice to know that when your mind needs a vacation from pushing one foot in front of the other, your body is there to get out and attack a run just for the fun of it.
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