We got home yesterday afternoon after several sad and stressful days out of town, and I was a bit overwhelmed by all I needed to get done before I could go to bed last night.
No one had any clean clothes, I was in danger of being fired for neglecting my classes, and the fridge was empty. Country-Fried Daddy headed to the gym after missing his daily workouts for three days, and Belly and Miss D. embarked on a conspiracy to drive me out of my mind. By the time CFD came home, they had just about succeeded.
“I have to go to the grocery store,” I yelled at him before he was fully in the door.
“Don’t,” he said. ” Go for a run. Don’t go to the grocery store. You’ll feel better if you just go run.”
Smart man. Anyone else would have ignored my little tantrum and let me go about my plan for Mommy martyrdom. CFD, however, handed me his iPod and shoved me out the door.
My brother ran cross-country in high school. He used to go out for long runs at random times. I didn’t get it. I have never been one to run for exercise or pleasure or any reason other than being chased. I never liked sports in general, but my high school guidance counselor convinced me I needed to participate in one in order to get into college. (This, of course, was a load of crap. All I needed to get into college was a decent GPA and a willingness to incur 20 years worth of debt.)
I was extremely uncoordinated and unathletic, which ruled out almost every sport. I wouldn’t have made the cut for volleyball, soccer, softball, or gymnastics. The swim team, though, took everyone, so I joined. You don’t have to be very coordinated to swim, I suppose, but if you are a backstroker, as I was, you do need to know how to count. From the flags to the wall was six strokes for me. At the state semifinals one year, I forgot to count, slammed into the wall at full speed with the top of my head, and sank to the bottom of the pool. They had to pull me out.
Despite this memorable failure in athletics, I have taken up running. I’m not coordinated at this either. I’m sure I will wipe out in some horribly public way at some point, but for now, “running away from home” is a great way to clear my head.
Last night, when I needed a time-out for bad behavior, I ran a 2.5-mile loop around my house.
As Sean Paul’s “We Be Burnin‘” pounded in my ears (“Some got gold and oil and diamonds, all we got is Mary J, legalize it, time you recognize it”), I ran past a huge Baptist church, smiling at the weird confluence of pro-marijuana reggae and clean-cut folks heading to bible study.
I ran (okay, jogged very, very slowly) past one of the best views around these parts, past elaborate, Old-South-looking homes, past people walking their dogs, past a slowly lowering sun.
I listened to CFD’s eclectic mix and to my own breathing. I felt some of the superficial stresses of my life fall away from me along with an embarrassing amount of sweat.
When I got home, I took care of some of the things on my massive to-do list and decided to let others fester.
There may not have been milk in the fridge this morning, but I think I made the healthier choice for myself and for my family by skipping the grocery store last night.
The beautiful view I enjoyed during my run.
The frightening view CFD got when I came home.
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I need to start running more.
I could use the quiet sometimes. And my thighs could use the help too.
I’m glad that you were able to get in that run. It sounds like it was just what you needed – and thus, what your family needed too.
I hope everything else is going okay or that, at the very least, things are settling back into a more manageable and normal routine again.
Twitter: lostsuburbbliss
April 28, 2009 at 2:29 am
Good for you! There is nothing like a run to clear the mind. I used to run track and after I was out of school, I ran all the time. Until I had kids. I am trying to get back into a routine, though. The other day I went running with our dog. Let’s just say…he did a much better job than I did.
I think you should be very, very proud. I WISH I ran…. but I don’t… and you look much better than I do
I think you may have just singlehandedly convinced me to start running. That sounded like the perfect solution because I would have gone to the grocery store and then probably returned home a little resentful.
I know that at night I wish I had someone to watch Tooters for me so that I could go “run away from home”. Instead we ride our bikes almost everyday this does give me a little break on my own with my music blasting in my ears while I am riding to and from the school by myself. It is very calming so I applaud CFD for giving you that push. Maybe you should start doing it more often???
Wow. I’m so impressed. Because I am NOT a runner. Way to go! Hopefully you can keep it up!
I used to run in high school and college but not as a sport, as a stress-reliever. It worked really well for me. I’ve been out of the habit for a few too many years now and I’ve been itching to start again. I think you may have given me the extra nudge I needed. Way to go