So, hey, you know how I wrote at nearly five in the morning this morning about all of the caffeine I consumed yesterday and how it was basically keeping me running (STILL) into the wee hours of the morning? You know what I did after that? I made myself put my iPhone down for one thing, only to roll over, try to sleep for ten minutes, before picking the iPhone back up and cruising the Internet. You know what I ended up doing? Reading entries from an online diary that I had for years and years. Yes, I didn’t sleep and instead read about misadventures that I had in 2002.
It’s weird reading things I wrote years ago, namely because it always feels like no matter how long ago it was, I was a better writer back then. Who knows? Maybe I was. Maybe I wrote better because I did it every single day. Or maybe I wrote better because way back in the day when lots of people still used dial up and couldn’t access the Internet at 5am on their cell phones when they couldn’t sleep, I didn’t feel completely self-conscious about writing whatever verbal vomit came to mind for everyone and their mother to see.
I kind of think that might have something to do with it.
Not sure how much sleep I got last night. I woke up around seven to a grumbling, growling stomach, tried to roll over and sleep some more, and finally gave up at eight.
Considering I’m running on not that much sleep, I feel pretty wide awake. So wide awake, in fact, that I felt like I had too much energy, and like it was all trapped inside of me, making me feel anxious and jittery. I haven’t felt that way for quite awhile, and as I paced around, I knew exactly how to take care of it.
I laced up my new bright orange running shoes and headed outside for my first non-treadmill run in what feels like forever. It’s not the warmest day outside, and it’s kind of cold and grey, which probably isn’t helping my mood. I’d do anything for a nice, clear, sunny day. Anything. It feels like so long since we’d had a stretch of sunny days. I could use some. Now.
Despite the overcast weather, once I hit the pavement and felt the cold breeze hitting my face, I remembered just how much I kind of really love running. I left my Nike+ sensor at home, because I know that with my first real run in forever, my time wouldn’t be anything like what I used to be able to do, but I know I stuck to my normal route, so I probably got a good three, three and a half mile run in. And it felt amazing. Call me crazy, but there’s something kind of awesome about feeling the cool sea breeze on your face as your lungs fill with fresh air to the point where they feel like they’re going to pop and your legs feel like jello, but you keep going because at that moment you’re kind of on a high. And when you’re standing at the top of the hill, your cheeks red and warm, looking down at the ocean below and the sun trying its hardest to break through the clouds above, you feel awesome and you feel completely alive.
It’s the best feeling, and it reminded me exactly why I used to do this every single day. (Or at least until I blew my heel out.)
I still don’t feel tired in the least bit, but I have a feeling I’ll be a sleeping a whole lot better tonight. And the next time I entertain the notion of having coffee for dinner? Tell me to politely refrain.
