My bed is lined up right next to the window, and with the shades open the sunrise beams into the room and slowly cooks my unconscious body, until I awake in a boil. This was deception number one. The second deception was the clear blue skies and glorious sunshine. These two misleading occurrences led to a bitterly numb run.
Consequently, I under-dressed today. With shorts, gloves, a headband for the ears, and a regular long sleeve t-shirt I was put through much more discomfort than needed. Currently it's 29 degrees, feels like 18, and a wind of 12 mph. However, it was one of those days where the wind direction is based only on the direction that you are currently running. It was a cold headwind nearly the entire time. Next time I will be sure to overdress and sweat my butt off rather than freeze. By the end of the run, my hands were as red and numb as the Nebraska Cornhuskers.
I was reminded of the sad interaction between runners here compared to those in the midwest. Back home, when runners would pass each other there would quite regularly be some sort of gesture or hello. It was more common and a little inconsiderate if a runner were to not give such a quick greeting. Here, this does not happen. For two days now I have noted the number of runners that respond to my hand/finger wave as we pass one another. There have been no replies. It seems as though not only the temperature is cold but also the hearts and souls of these local runners. Depressing it may be I am determined not to give up and to continue giving these bonding gestures to fellow runners. I just might have to change the attitude to runners here one head nod at a time.
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4 comments:
I like the intro paragraph. It is like a story. You should write a story that begins that way. Maybe when you write your book about running.
You didn't go back inside and put on something warmer? You crazy man! You = crazy man.
!
Maybe try saying something to the runners. Say "hello" at first. If that doesn't work, say something mean to them. "Hey, you look out of shape!" may elicit some kind of response from them.
Running in the country near Kearney, NE on my last good long run, I was approaching an intersection from the north when I saw someone approaching the same intersection from the west. I could have run with them, but for some reason didn't. I sort of sped up and then ran fast for the next half mile. Then I felt bad for not running with them. They might have become a good friend, or might have had a bit of knowledge to share with me. But looking back, I did not see the person. Maybe they had fallen into the ditch. If I had run with them, I could have pulled them out of the ditch and carried them to the hospital, where everyone would stand and applaud me, yell things like "way to go, runner" and "hoo-cha" as I made my way in to the emergency room and laid the fallen runner onto a table. I would be a hero.
But no. I am not a hero. I am the guy who sped up.
It is saddening. I feel terrible.
Sad face.
:(
Dude, it's like that everywhere outside the Midwest. It's just a culture thing I guess. In Chicago, they wave. Virginia, no. Hawaii, YES! It's the whole ALOHA thing. I think the Midwest is based on it. ;-)
Funny story with the cold. I feel bad that it's perfect here no matter what you wear. At least your hands thaw. The hearts of the others won't.
Wow, I am really impressed. Both of your comments were excellent.
Charles, you are very creative and I enjoyed reading your story about the runner in the ditch and you being a hero. You don't have to pull someone out of a ditch to be a hero. You're already my hero.
Anton, you are very wise. You are a wise man. I especially enjoyed your last statement, "At least your hands thaw. The hearts of the others won't." Wise.
You dudes are awesome.
I got cold just reading this.
And what's up with the runners there? No acknowledgement of each other? That's just wrong. Here, runners, bicyclists, anyone moving around under their own power, waves or says hello or something. Even when I lived in NY the runners had a "bond". In NY!
Now I'm inspired. I'm going to put on something warm and go outside and wave to someone.
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