Sunshine

We got 5 feet of snow 2 weeks ago. That was 60 treadmill miles ago. Today, the snow had receded sufficiently from the roads' centers to allow us to run reasonably safely in daylight. Running under the open, blue sky was an emotional relief despite the 27 F windchill.

I am an all-weather outdoor runner. However, I will not run in the dark on roads narrowed in many places to one lane for safety reasons. I believe that spending as much time outdoors in the ebb and flow of the days and seasons makes you not only a tougher runner but a better person. Studies suggest that lack of exposure to early morning blue light throws human circadian rhythm. Vitamin D deficiency and depression are likewise associated with insufficient sunlight exposure. We understand the life-giving properties of the sun, and even moon, from a physiological perspective.

I suspect cutting the umbilical cord to nature's rhythms causes a litany of other issues too long to enumerate. The list of medical, psychological, and social ills associated with substituting sun, moon, and star with glowing LCD screens grows with each year. The act of performing moderately intense physical effort, despite the weather conditions, not only cleanses and toughens. It recalls human genetic past and thus fulfills a basic human prerequisite for quality of life.