Apathy

I headed out for an easy 8 last night. I felt surprisingly good considering how awful I felt on Sunday. Ice bath? Foam roller? Perhaps. I was going to use my 8 mile day as a “day off”, but that might change…

This morning I ventured out into the peaceful snow. The flakes were huge; the kind that aim for your eye lashes. I kept the pace very easy, but after about 25:00 into my run I just stopped. I stood on a bridge overlooking Rock Creek and just stared. I was tired and didn’t want to run anymore. This wasn’t laziness or due to pain…it was general apathy. I just didn’t care. Of course I am about 4 miles from home and it’s snowing, so I really didn’t have a choice. After staring uncomfortably at mallard for a couple of minutes, I turned, walked for a moment, kicked a stone into the creek and then shuffled along…but I kept heading north, away from home. If I had turned and gone home, apathy would have one. I’ve felt like this before on runs. Instead of feeling good and excited, running, as it was today, can be a brutal chore. One time in college while running with my teammate Sugar (nicknamed per his diabetes) through Patapsco State Park, I decided to stop and simply lay down on a pile of rocks. I told him he could bury me under the pile and other such nonsense. I would have slept there all day or until a park ranger prodded me with a stick. Instead Sugar collapsed in a puddle of mud next to me. We weren’t running fast, but we were just tired, bored and didn’t care. Eventually we got up and piddy-patted back to school. I think this means I need a day off. Again, it’s not due to physical exertion, but I think a day off (only had one this year so far) will do the mind some good. I might have a good opportunity for a rest day later this week as I may be traveling. If not, I will still likely take one. 10 miles today.

50 years ago today "the music died". Tomorrow is another day.