A run in the rain

My upper back has been killing me for the last several days. It's the lack of running that's responsible for it. It happens every time, if I go longer than a couple of days between runs, my upper back tightens up, kinks, and becomes very painful. Then, a few days of running later, it's back to normal, feeling great.

I guess my body is telling me something, huh? It's happier when I'm running regularly. Then again, all of me is happier when I'm running regularly. My mood is better, my mind is clearer, my spirit feels lighter. For some reason I always seem to forget about all of these benefits from time to time. I guess it comes back to the fact that I've never been all that great at self-care. I can manage it for a while, but then I always slip back into old, self-destructive patterns. Ah, well.

This morning I woke up at 5:30. I'd set my internal alarm for 6:00 but I guess at least part of me was begging for that run. I got up and got ready to head out, and looked outside. It was pouring. Buckets. I don't mind running in the rain at all, but the thought of heading out, dry, into a torrential downpour was a little disheartening. I decided to check email and see if it let up a bit.

Luckily, it did, at least for a few minutes. Once I'm out there, the rain doesn't bother me. In fact, I've written before about how I love running in the rain, that it feels cleansing somehow. I found myself running along this morning, in the pouring rain, grinning like an idiot, loving every minute of it. It's always moments like those when I feel truly alive.

Today, I am alive. And very happy to be so. And now, off to spend a little quality time with my big boy Brad. The run was good...but a run and big cup of coffee is even better.