Two worlds of running

Sunday Ted said he wanted to run. We didn't.
Monday Ted said he wanted to run. We didn't.
Tuesday morning I got up and ran, even though Monday night he was adamant about running on Tuesday. I did 2 miles, figuring if he decided to go, it wasn't enough to hinder a second run, but if we didn't go, I wouldn't feel like it was another day wasted.
We went.

We live in a borough home in the heart of a little town. But half a mile down one road, the borough ends and country roads, fields, and beauty stretches out before us. I hadn't run this route since last fall, and Ted had only driven it. "This is easy to run!" he commented. "No sidewalks, no lights, no running in circles..."

We did four miles without realizing it. No, wait, I take that back. We did two miles without realizing it. Then I gently reminded Ted we should turn around and head back...we both were feeling great and I was hesitant to let him know the distance we had gone. I was afraid he would hear 2 miles and think about how great he feels and how bad he should soon be feeling, and decide he was tired.

The run did catch up with him once we turned around, and we ended up calling it a 3-mile run and a one-mile walk. I finished off one stretch with a sprint to the stop sign, then waited for him, just to get that last little bit of urge to run out of my system.

I am fortunate to live somewhere I can enjoy a small town, sidewalks, stop lights, little stores, restaurants, bars, churches, walking to go wherever my heart desires, and still be able to turn left instead of right and be in America's heartland, with fresh produce, Lemonade stands, quiet country roads, corn fields, a single old church, a single older cemetery, and not seeing another car or person for practically the entire run. It's everything I wanted--the charm of a small town like I grew up with, without the feeling that the 20-minute drive to Walmart was considered a night out. If I feel like doing a quick urban run, on sidewalks and around people, I can do that. If I feel like I want a meaningful, thoughtful run, I can do that, as well.

Wherever your running route takes you, I encourage you to find a back, country road, and run it. It truly gives a new appreciation for running, and allows you to see the land and appreciate it more than driving it ever could. And makes you remember why you run.