Who Are You Looking At?

"Hurry up? Geez you're so slow...don't you want to get out there and run?"

"Well, yeah, but why rush? Both boys are in school and I've got lots of time. "

"Yeah, time to be a turtle. I've got a goal and you're going to come a long so hurry up."

Out in the open air the sun glinting off the bits of pavement recently thawed. The fields littered with ragged weeds and strewn tumble weeds of litter. The occasional squirrel clucking at us as we run past.

People driving toward us gawking and shaking their heads. As if a foot race is the most foreign concept to them at that moment. A nod or a hand wave from the rare driver who without the car is a runner, as well. An unspoken bond. Secret handshake.

With new music downloaded and a nice supply of energy I thumb through the playlist looking for the perfect song to match a pace beat too. It's a challenge. My run partner is always just a few beats quicker. Shooting me frustrated looks. "Go faster....screw negative split conservation, let's go! The return trip takes care of itself!"

I find a song and then fall casually into pace. Enjoying the feel of being back at the distance. Emptying my mind of all the important things. Letting things fall away until I feel a tug at my jacket..."come on!!!"

Needing to stop and wait out a light I get more sour puss stares but I turn my head and take a sip of water and get ready to cross the street and keep going. Once back at a steady pace I'm able to take a look around. It's 28 days till Christmas and everyone is getting into the swing. I see deflated snowman, Santas and snow globes just waiting for the right time to be pumped up to greet the children as they pass. I say a silent hello to them anyway. I kinda know how they feel. I'm starting to fatigue and my partner is pissing me off.

On the return I'm harped at even more. Thankfully, it seems a faster return than I had expected. Though now it's mostly on an up hill grade. Trying very hard to shut the mind off but with every tweet of my Garmin my partner looks like she's going to kick me. I'm amazed she hasn't started calling me worse names yet.

Only 2K left. I pick up my pace slightly and see my partner sneer. We start rounding our way through the streets leading to the end of the run and she picks up her pace. I look at my Garmin and skip the last walk break and start to find that rhythmic pattern so that I can increase the pace. 1-2-3-4 1-2-3-4 1-2-3-4 on and on and on and around the corner the end in sight. Breaking free, building faster and faster. Across the line. 10.05K complete. Cooling down. Finally my partner grabs my wrist with the Garmin and regards it for a minute. I bristle waiting for her to tear a strip off me.

"Huh, how long has it been?"

"8 months give or take a couple of days."

"meh, not too shabby" and she turns and bounds up the stairs and into the house.

I look down. 1 hr 12 mins. Yeah, not too shabby.