Runnin' in the Rain

Yesterday I had the bright idea to bring my running clothes to work so that I could run immediately after work. Brilliant even, because it would cut out that downtime between leaving the office and getting to my apartment that always seems to annihilate all the motivation I have for working out once I'm home.

I'm pretty certain I can't be the only one who suffers from that. You see, when I'm at the office I'm still in "task mode" and my afternoon run would be just another task I needed to cross off my list before I got to go home. And it totes worked.

I fully support playing mind games with myself.

So when I laced up my shoes and strolled out to the path, I felt strong and excited to pound out some miles after sitting behind my desk all day. However, I didn't have a very clear idea of where I was going to go. I had a vague idea of my whereabouts and my plan was to run about 6 miles, but I thought I'd be fine if I brought my iPhone and checked out my surroundings if I needed to.

When I hit the pavement, the sky was a little overcast and there was a slight, misty rain in the air, but it was nothing to freak out about. It was actually quite perfect for a running adventure in rural Wisconsin!

But then about 2 miles in, the sky turned into this:

Uh oh.

So I had to make a decision - hightail it back the way I came and only fit in four miles, or finish the loop which was - what I thought - about 6 miles?

Even though the sky looked like it would be prudent for me to climb in the ark with Noah, my stomach and my legs were feeling good so I decided to keep on truckin' on my loop.

It's amazing the lengths you'll go to take advantage of a good stomach day with Crohn's.

I ended up going a little more than eight miles in the pouring rain.

Granted - it might not sound like a lot, but this is my running renaissance. I haven't run eight miles since April, and the last time I ran more than that I went into a downward spiral of Runner's Colitis.

But yesterday, I just ran. It wasn't a training run, it wasn't a race. It didn't mean anything. The goal was simple: get back to where I started without being hit by a truck. Unfortunately, rain and iPhones don't mix very well so I had to tap into my keen sense of direction to get me back to my office building. I've never contemplated running through acres of corn fields more than I did yesterday.

I ultimately decided  against it, but I did my fair share of traffic dodging trying to navigate my way back. My eyes desperately wanted windshield wipers.

The thing about this seemingly terrible set of circumstances - lost in the rain in rural Wisconsin - is that I felt like the runner version of this the whole time:




I had also never been that happy to see my office building in the skyline once I came around that final bend.

I trudged into the building, fluorescent yellow shirt soaked through, shoes and socks completely water-logged, desperately wishing that the rain hadn't fried my phone. I sloshed into the bathroom and decided to document the scene for you all, since hooray! Phone still works.

Sometimes I do sweat this much, but this is all rain. Okay there's obviously some sweat mixed in, but definitely mostly rain.

So happy! And awkward. 

And since we're in a state of full disclosure here, I'll share my muddy legs with you too.

Mmmmmm.

The bottom line is that I'm downright thankful for yesterday's run. Sometimes I feel like every second of every day is planned, and that I find myself...stuck. But something about the combination of rain and farms and running and feeling good totally recharged my batteries. 

So every once and a while, go for a run and just keep running. No plan, no expectations, no meaning. It could be the thing that reminds you to enjoy life, not just live it.