I recently did a run at night while visiting family in Ocean City, New Jersey. In the midst of a heat wave, I ran at night to avoid the heat. For safety reasons, I didn’t run with music, but I as soon as I stepped out the door and saw the low, hazy moon, I had REM’s “Nightswimming” stuck in my head. How fitting this song is!
So changing from Nightswimming to Nightrunning, here are the rambling thoughts I had during that quiet run.
Nightrunning
Deserves a quiet night
Hearing only my footsteps reminded me to run lightly – if you hear your shoes pounding thwap, thwap, thwap on the pavement, you are probably landing too hard.
Every streetlight reveals the picture in reverse.
Still, it’s so much clearer.
There were streetlights on every corner, allowing me to see my shadow as I ran. Sometimes I spot it and I think in disbelief, “Wow, that’s me running!” Watching my shadow also allowed me to realize with some horror that I was running like a linebacker, with my elbows sticking out as if I were trying to tackle my way through my run. So graceful, I know. I made an effort to try and tuck my elbows in a little to have a more efficient gait.
The moon is low tonight
There was a beautiful, low, hazy moon making me feel small and reminding me of all that I have to be grateful for in this universe. Um, perhaps the endorphins where kicking in at this point, too.
Ocean Moon. (Thank you to my brother-in-law, Bill for this photo.)
September’s coming soon.
I’m pining for the moon
September means heavy marathon training miles. It also is the busiest, most stressful time of the year for teachers. As I run, I wonder and ruminate about how will I fit it all in, and if I’ll get enough sleep/battle insomnia. Because the endorphins are still going, it’s more of a pondering point than a worry.
Not sure all these people understand
I’m happy to let my running freak flag fly. It’s made me healthier and happier. If people don’t understand that, fine by me.
Eeeeeerrrrrrrrwwwwwwwwppppppppp!
That would be the record scratching as I face-plant to the ground. Definitely not in REM’s original recording. Seriously sprawled all over the pavement. To be continued…
In the meantime, if you run without music, what song(s) get stuck in your head? Comment away!…
See Nancy Run. 
I don’t hear music. I hear Count from Sesame Street saying “How many miles could Jeff run… 1 mile 2 miles. 3 miles. 4 miles …..5 miles…
Then again maybe I was getting delirious
Ah! Ah! Ah! (That’s the count LOL-ing.) Delirium and running often go hand-in-hand.
LOL at Jeff’s comment! Don’t get overwhelmed already by what awaits in September. Take each run one day at a time and one mile at a time. You can do this!
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