I went for my first road bike yesterday since the fated injury. Only did 15 miles, but it was windy with snow still on the ground and I just wasn't feeling it. I rode up towards the foothills. As I did the big turnaround to head home, this huge peleton of dudes screamed past me leaving me in the wake of their whooshing pedals and their talk about horse shit on the road. I was a lonely rider on a lonely road. I started counting the road kill and thinking that if I were a taxidermist, this would be an ideal way to gather my specimens. I kept a pretty good pace going the whole way (16-20 mph), really wanting to get and keep my rpms up.
What I found is: this bike ride made me miss running even more. In fact, I passed a runner along the lonely road and I longingly gazed in his direction - wishing it were me. My question to you is: what is it about running that does it for us? Really gives us that high? Cycling is challenging and speedy and there is no better place than Boulder County, CO to be on your bike. Yet, it is missing something for me. Maybe it's feeling my feet on the pavement, feeling grounded. Maybe it is that running seems so pure to me: no gear required, just me and my shoes (and a few articles of clothing). It is hard to put into words, but running bests everything else for me. Can you put it into words?
Today I got his book from the library. I've read so many of the running books, but not this one. Runner's World calls it, "the best book ever written about running." So, sit tight and I'll give a review here in a couple of days. If you've read it, let me know what you thought.
I also learned that there is a documentary on Dean Karnzes' book about running the 50 marathons in 50 days. It's appropriately called "Ultramarathon Man." I just ordered it from Netflix. I'm a total sucker for this kind of inspirational stuff. Here's a teaser.
Happy November. Happy it's already dark and it's only 4:45pm day.
