I went for a jog the other day. I’m not much of a runner, but something clicked. Not physically – more of an Aha Moment.
I know so many people, women especially, who have recently trained for a big race. Women you would least expect to wake up at 5am and run everyday. Why run a 10 miler, or a marathon instead of say, taking boot camp, or just hitting the gym a few days a week?
For some, it probably is about a physical goal, staying in shape, accomplishing something previously thought impossible. Maybe it’s about the mental clarity -the fresh air, the music on your ipod, the sound of your heart pumping. Your thoughts eventually become as numb as your body when you hit mile nine. (Or in my case, mile three.)
Really, though, I think it’s about getting the f*ck away.
Away from the boss who makes you cry,
Away from the fertility doctors,
Away from the the toddler throwing a tantrum,
Away from the dishes, the piles of laundry, the bills,
Away from the ailing family member,
Away from the judgmental mother, the “perfect” sister
Away from Match.com,
Away from monotony of the suburbs.
Away. Away. Away.
Run.
Run.
Run.
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A friend of mine, fellow mom with a great butt, jogs 12-13 miles a day when she’s training. (Other than that, she’s perfectly normal.) And she does tout the Away Factor.
Well, there goes my great butts are genetic theory.
This reminds me of an issue of the Washingtonian profiling how different people deal with their stress. One was a stay-at-home mom, who said she was very thankful to have the time to be with her children, but her 6 a.m. runs were the only thing that got her through the rest of the unpredictable stress of tantrums, getting to school on time, lice . . . I think it’s true even for walking. I love the juxtaposition of your words with the looks on the women’s faces, especially after the awe of cheering my sister (who has always been someone you would definitely expect to wake up at 5 am to run) in her races.
Those A type women fascinate me.
It’s interesting how people deal with stress. I imagine the problem is that so many of us just don’t do anything. Sometimes I wonder how listening to NPR and doing the dishes became a way for me to unwind
I think it has to do with being able to have control of yourself, your body, your environment for a short time. It’s a lot like meditation.
I guess you get to a point physically, where you achieve some mental stillness. It’s hard for me to reach that point. I’m so easily distracted, though the fresh air helps.
Amy