A Morning Runnies is my favorite way to begin the day with positive intention.  It’s a Good For Your Soul thing and since it’ll be another fine summer day tomorrow, I invite YOU to join me.  As my running buddy.  Are you in?  Yes??  *claps*  That makes my heart very happy.  I think you will enjoy yourself.

A warning for when tomorrow comes: You will want to bail.  But, thall shall not bail.  That breaks The Runnies Code of Honor and any runs thereafter will fall to pieces (because all will be considered bailable).  Tornadoes or I-happen-to-be-giving-birth-right-at-this-very-moment (to babies or kidney stones) are the only acceptable excuses to bail.  Otherwise, do not.

I usually set out a clothes pile the night before so I don’t wake the Hubs while rummaging groggily through my dresser drawers.  You should do the same.  The likelihood of looking like a homeless person goes down considerably this way.

The Pile

Ok, the cell phone alarm is set.  Now, get some sleep, because the morning will come much too quickly!

<A time lapse of a few short hours, some sweet dreams and the unfortunate emergence of eye crusties>

Morning, Sunshine.  Time to wake up and sorry, there is no time for the snooze button.  So, hands off.  We’ve only got 7 minutes to pull on our clothes, smash contact lenses in (hopefully some of those crusties will shake off?), mouthwash, slap on deodorant, choose a body spray scent and head out!  Today, we are SuperModels (obviously).

the goods

We drive. Sometimes we drive downtown to the trails or to other neighborhoods, but today, it’s a nice little jaunt west to a friend’s house.

We sing softly to the radio.  We don’t talk because we need time to set our intention.  Our intention to run.  To sweat.  To connect.  To feel good about the world.  To prepare for JILL’s HILL by not thinking about JILL’s HILL.

We are here and just in time.

Our Running Buddy is waiting.  Isn’t she cute?  Good morning Becky, today I brought a friend to join us.

We head out…slowly…gently on those creaky legs of ours.  The chatter is quiet.  Courteous.  Sleepy.  We take a deep breath in and a deep breath out.  And do you feel the Peace?  The birds are singing their happy day wishes to us and our stride loosens into a comforting cadence.  Yes, the Peace is why we do this.  The Peace is the secret that the rest of the world doesn’t know about.

Morning Peace

more Morning Peace

But inevitably, The Drama. “You would NOT believe what she said to me at the baby shower, the nerve of that little snot!!” and “Oh, no she DIDDDN’T!”  (pace quickens, excessive hand motions) and “I know!  I was so ready to bring the smack down, right after I cried my eyes out in the bathroom!”.  Welcome to our Runnies Therapy.  You are automatically enrolled and your first session starts now.  Bring the drama, we will FIX IT.  You will feel better.  A lot better.  And you will be shocked out of your gourd how quickly the run goes by fixing The Drama.

Reenactment of The Drama

Today’s run is no different, we solved an inconsiderate brother in law crisis, figured out how to handle that annoying perv that so and so works with, deemed it was acceptable to wear that outrageously cute dress to The Baptism even though it was already worn to The Wedding, and we also know what to get you-know-who for their birthday.  JILL’S HILL catches us by surprise.  You forgot about it, didn’t you?  And here we are, making our way up it.

Jill's HILL

Our breath goes ragged.  Our legs burn.  We enter the No Talk Zone.  We pull strength from each other.  It’s hard work.  Really hard work.  But eventually and breathlessly, we crest it.  We take a moment to share a high five at the top and calm our pounding hearts.  That wasn’t so bad now, was it?  And now with that behind us, it’s time to head back towards home.

Before we know it, our run comes to an end.  We are back where we started, sweatier and happier.  We bid each other a good day, already better prepared to wander out into the busy chaotic churn than when we first woke.   So, give yourself a secret personal high five.  Because today you got up with me and you worked.  You fixed The Drama with me.  You shared the Morning Peace with me.  Thank you for the run, I’m a better person for it and I hope you feel the same.

Until next time, happy trails…