Heartbeat!

A year and a half ago I reclaimed running in my life, with some hesitation about whether too many years had passed and also actual concern about being too old and decrepit. I hate to look un-intentially silly and out of it. I was not sure I could run from my driveway to the end of the street - probably less than a block. But, it was not as hard as I expected. And every body has to start somewhere. I am happy that I did. Tonight was yet another of the innumerable reinforcements of the rightness of the decision. The impending negative change in the weather almost stopped me from going out. But having a gap on my Daily Mile journal was, for some reason, utterly unacceptable. As I left my front door, the misty, rainy, hard sleety stuff hit me in my face. It made me smile. And the smile lasted through the precipitation and spirited wind, until ... the stars unexpectedly came out brightly. I felt loose and young and happy, as if I could go on forever. And toward the end of the 5 mile run, it occurred to me that my heartbeat was healthy and the course of my breath was strong, and my pace was in time with something terrific on my IPod.  As I wound my pace down, I checked the music, and appropriately it was "Heartbeat" by Annie; now one of my conscious favorites. As on so many happy runs, I was again grateful for the 2009 Christmas present of the IPod from my wife, and of my daughter's gift of loading it with terrific music.