Resistance

As the winter begins, I find my mind resists going out for those 18 F windchill runs. My mind's reluctance meets up against the absolute imperative to go run those 6 miles. I go, despite my yearning for a soft warm bed.

3 miles to warm up, then 3 miles of hill repeats. Despite feeling a little residual heaviness from Sunday's 21-miler, I can keep my stride crisp and quick. It is an empowering feeling to glide up the side of Mt. Tendinitis and down the other over and over. On the fourth ascent, the sun crested the ridge to the east and pierced through the barren trees. I was bathed in golden light: an iconic running moment.

Mental will is like muscle. Unused, it atrophies; used, it grows.