Pounding the Pavement.

The rural streets around Gull Lake took a beating today...a pounding actually.

 
From fifth grade jogging club to road therapy at 31 years old, running has always been my outlet.  I have come and gone in training throughout the years, but there is always a happy home in my running shoes and the great outdoors.
I think we all need an outlet.  A place to put our frustrations, anger, sadness, or just a plain old bad day.  Over the years, I have run with tears blurring my vision of the road I run along in sadness over loss.  I have run so happy that I felt like I was skipping like a third grader through the streets.  Emotions are free to flow.  It is just me, the trees, and the road.

Today I ran.  I ran hard.  I left it all on the road.  I have no idea how far I went, how many cars I saw, or if there were any animals along the way.  I just ran.  In fact, I think the first mile was more like stomping my feet like a three year old that can't have a popsicle.  It felt good.

My pavement weapons.  I have earned both of those holes.  I bet there are 400 miles on these shoes.  Time for some new ones.

Every time I go running, no matter what the distance, I sprint the finish.  I do it for two reasons...  One is the obvious reason that I want to have that last kick at the end for the next race I run.  The other reason?  I want to push through whatever I was working on in my head through the whole run.  Leave it all out on the road.

What is your outlet?  Do you have one?  I hope so.  We all need one.  We all have those days that we are frustrated with our children, or had a bad day at work, or fought with our husband.  How are you gonna deal with it?  I'm going to run.