The Gift

You ever get overwhelmed by how mind-blowingly miraculous it is to simply be alive?

Ok- yes- it's going to be one of those posts. So if you can't handle my Hallmark card sentimentalism, believe me, I understand. 

I woke up this morning feeling like I totally slept in, and to my surprise, I woke up at my usual 7:45 am. I'm sure for some of you that would be more than sleeping in. But considering that I couldn't fall asleep last night, and I stayed up to watch both the Daily Show and the Colbert Report, I was pumped. Especially because I felt like I had slept in; but clearly I didn't. It's almost always the exact opposite for me. That is , sleep for 8 1/2 hours and feel like I did for about 4. It was like getting a little gift...I warned you it would be this kind of post.

So, I get up this morning, walk over to the window and open the shades. There was a solid 4 inch blanket of pure white snow covering everything! Beautiful. Grandps was, of course, already up and at em- making breakfast for Granny, excitedly talking about getting to use the snow blower ("there's 4 and a half inches Mary Nell"), and, upon seeing me, telling me that the guard from Louisiana Tech (we went to a Vandal basketball game last night) that shot so well last night hit 6 of 8 from three. The usual morning interactions. 

Inspired by the beauty outside (and feeling somewhat wound up after having not exercised for 5 days during my trip to New York)- I threw on my running gear and hit the road. Ideally, I like to do a few warm up stretches, followed by a short preparatory walk before running. There's something more natural and peaceful about easing into a run that way for me. I didn't really stretch, but I did walk. And as I started to walk, I had one of those moments. One of those moments in which you realize how small you are, how lucky you are to be alive, and how wondrously beautiful this planet truly is. Typically, when I'm in this kind of mental space, I run strong. I did. 

My usual loop is to head out toward the U of I golf course, down and around Perimeter Dr., take a right at the base of the hill, cut through campus and then cut back up through campus in front of the SUB (for those of you who have some sense of Moscow). It's a little longer than 3 miles. It's such a great distance. Long enough to get some solid fresh air in the lungs. Short enough that on the days when I really need let it loose, I can and not feel completely exhausted at the end. I start on a short gradual uphill followed by a longish gradual downhill followed by a flat mile, and ending with a relatively steep uphill (I like to walk up Paradise Dr. and use that as my gradual cool down). It's a great little ritual. Sometimes I get intense and want to start upping my miles. Sometimes I think I should mix in some more swimming. And most recently, I am getting excited about spring and at least a couple of weeks commuting on my bike. I miss my bike. 

Speaking of little rituals- I'm back at my favorite local haunt- the One World Cafe- soaking up the shining sun and glittering snow before heading into the fluorescent lights of Tristate. I love you all.