Thanks, Tony! I really like doing these
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| Random Thoughts of an Addicted Runner - Episode 2 http://horrorworld.org/msgboards/viewtopic.php?f=61&t=13334 |
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| Author: | tgarsenault [ Thu Jun 06, 2013 12:48 am ] |
| Post subject: | Random Thoughts of an Addicted Runner - Episode 2 |
I love running Not sure what is going on in my dented cranium recently, but hope it doesn’t stop. The influx of thoughts and ideas have been absolutely amazing in recent days as I run. Maybe the collateral blood vessels from a surgery a few years ago are finally reaching my 97-percent blocked Middle Cerebral Artery, providing an increase in oxygen levels. Or maybe it’s the exact opposite and my MCA is finally starving itself as it reaches 98, 99, 99.5 percent closed … surely producing some drastic effects in the folds of my gray matter. Whatever the case, the last few weeks have been almost surreal in the amount of writing I have done and ideas that have come to me. I think in writing these little episodes, I have found my own way to unleash some creativity and keep the words flowing, writing something completely unrelated to horror (for the most part) while still developing my craft. A creative process that I hope never to harness and only let run, run, run! Much to the chagrin of my beloved Neurosurgeon and Physician’s Assistant, I continue to run, sometimes obsessively. While they say 3-4 mile jaunts are okay, they feel longer runs will take required oxygen from my brain and send it instead to my legs. The other danger is dehydration; but both cases put me at risk for more transient ischemic attacks or TIAs (mini-strokes), which I am very familiar with—causing my entire right side to become numb and heavy and my speech to slur or become altogether impossible—or a complete stroke. However, they do understand my informed decision to do it anyway, and are at least happy that I take as many precautions as possible. And they REALLY hate the fact that I have this compulsion to complete marathons. Alas, I have never really listened to anyone! Though I will always be at a severe risk of a stroke, I believe running is actually keeping me healthy and more importantly, alive. I’ve never felt better. I don’t smoke anymore and don’t drink (okay—that’s a lie—a big one), but if I wasn’t running, I would be living on my couch smoking and drinking all day long, WAY worse for my brain than running. I mean, come on! Running keeps those demons (as much as I love demons) at bay. And I do take appropriate precautions, remaining hydrated before any run, wearing an emergency ID wrist ban; and for runs over 13 miles, shouldering a hydration pack that has plenty of fluids and a place for my phone and some cash since I never know where I will end up. If there really does come a day where I end up in a supine position on some back country road, unconscious or deceased, at least I know I had prepared myself as best I could. Probably, I will also have a smile on my face. As with any run, even if I travel the same route (which I do often based on target distance), there is always something new to be seen, or at least seeing the same thing just a little differently, and yesterday’s and today;s 5-milers were no exception. Today, I passed two bull dogs I see every day, only a short distance from my home. But today they barked at me. I’ve passed this same driveway for almost 5 years, where usually, only their heads slowly move atop their wrinkled fur and watch me pass, disinterested, tongues lolling about their under-bitten jaws. But today, something different about me running by had caught their attention. Was it the colors I was wearing, a slight change in my stride? Did my toe scraping on the road at the start of an incline startle them? Or was it because I wasn’t wearing my normal sunglasses on this cloudy day? At mile two of this particular route, I travel pass the same church with the same “Office” sign perched on the lawn. Much like the bulldogs, I’ve seen this same sign for the last five years. But today, be it the lack of sunshine, the time of day, or maybe just the temperature, I realized that the office sign pointed to the left of the church and down a significantly steep hill (actually away from the church itself), as though the very office of this church existed in the bowels of the earth. And if that was the case, true to my usual habits and usual sense of adventure, I was taking the proverbial path that led straight to Hell. That was a joke … maybe. Funny coincidence, but at mile three of this route, I run through a cemetery. I remember the names of most: McEntee, Bell, Dullen, Goodwin, Maxwell … and many more. During each visit, I recite each name as I pass, for respect, for remembrance, lest they be forgotten. With each visit, I also try to find one I haven’t read before and recite their name as well. Cemeteries seem an endless source of material for any piece of work. With each name, it is hard not to wonder who they were, what they did, how they died. Endless amounts of material lay resting below the surface of every plot. And one particular scene still rattles me with its beauty as I think of a run a few weeks ago that brought me to a cemetery I had never before been. Cemeteries have always been a fascination for me and the gate was open to this one. So … I ran inside. As I made my way around a half-mile paved road, it wasn’t until I neared the exit that I noticed a car pulled off to the side, empty. But a few feet away, an elderly gentlemen sat in a lawn chair by a headstone, hands clutching a hat on his lap, head hung low. Feeling like I was intruding on his moment of peace, I slowed my pace and quietly ran by, resisting the urge to stop, greet this man, and beg him to tell me his story. Running brings me to these scenes that normally go unnoticed, scenes and happenings in this world that I would miss if not for this crazy obsession I have. Someone actually said hello to me today as I was passing by. Such a simple gesture, but one I actually appreciate given a few experiences since I’ve lived here. Two years ago, I had a teenage passenger dump an entire fountain drink on me as he passed. Thank goodness it was very hot that day; although sticky, I was definitely cooler. And not even a month later, I had a female passenger throw fire snaps at my feet, thinking she would get me to jump. Silly woman, I expect these things. And don’t you know, runners have a wee bit more endurance than your lazy-ass boyfriend sitting in the driver’s seat? Think he might be the one that actually needs them instead—to distract him before he releases himself right before you … are … almost … oh, I think you get the picture. I have saved the most thought-provoking things I saw or heard during my runs the last two days for the very end of this post. The first was at the very end of today’s run, when I knew I was close to finishing and relaxed my pace and defenses just enough to let the “Ding Ding Ding” of the Ice Cream Man make me jump. Immediately, stories started to unravel in my brain, most only memories as a child growing up and always selecting the same Orange Cream Bar flavor. But these days, that same Ding sounds like a bell to the gallows —deep, dark, reverberant—or maybe just an accompanying march to the counter of the most recent Meth dealer in the world. That Ding today riddles my flesh with more goosebumps than evil clowns or the Devil himself, and I bet many of you agree. The final image I will leave you with today, is one of which I am most proud. I heard the rumble of the Harley way before I heard it (of course), but when the driver stopped, looked both ways, and turned to the right, away from me, I saw two things: an American Flag next to a POW/MIA flag waving proudly from the back of the driver’s seat. A rush of pins and needles covered every one of my limbs and increased my pace. At that moment, I could only think of the 22 years of service I completed in the U. S. Air Force and some of my friends and so many more who never made it home. I wanted to buy this man a drink, but alas, my short legs only go so fast. If you read this lengthy post and liked it, I am very happy. If you read it and don’t like it, I honestly don’t care (kidding); but this is really just for me and me alone. And it works. And if you’ve read this far, feel free to “Like” it, because I am sorta curious. And I really do love running. Tomorrow will be another 5-miler, and already, I am excited about where my feet will take me. |
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| Author: | ttzuma [ Fri Jun 21, 2013 10:23 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Random Thoughts of an Addicted Runner - Episode 2 |
Great blog Tim! |
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| Author: | tgarsenault [ Fri Jun 21, 2013 3:34 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Random Thoughts of an Addicted Runner - Episode 2 |
Thanks, Tony! I really like doing these
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