Run for the Roses As Fast As You Can

I have been a runner since my childhood in Nashville. I began running when my brother John, was preparing to go with fellow Boyscouts to the Grand Canyon. In order to be allowed to hike to the bottom of the canyon, he was required to run a mile in eight minutes or less. My dad would take both of us over to a nearby high school track and time our run on his stopwatch. John, four years older, would get so mad as he was more of a short distance runner, while I could outrun him on a mile run. He says he could hear my footsteps coming up behind him and felt outrage. I’m glad he never tackled me while I was passing by. Throughout my childhood I ran on that high school track. It became part of my soul.

I have continued to run all of my life. At one point after my first son was born, I dropped running for a briefly until one of my closest friends Kate Coleman, gave me a gentle nudge to run again. True friends will do that from time to time. For years now I have run on a treadmill, usually five miles a day. It was easy no matter the weather, to go to the gym and knock out a five mile run. However, over the winter, running on the treadmill felt more like a chore than a workout and I didn’t want to brave running outside in the cold. Having observed the longterm fate of the skin of those who took part in lifelong outdoor sports, I didn’t want to expose my skin to too much sun. With all of these concern’s and the force of habit of the treadmill, I had forgotten the soul lifting and healing phenomenons associated with running outdoors.

However, this summer my son Landon, an avid athlete came to visit me in Nashville. I decided to go with Landon to my nearby high school track and run. I had forgotten the loveliness of running outdoors on a track in the warm sun and feeling the gentle wind. The thrill of running on that wide expanse was contagious so I’ve continued to do so all summer. Life is short. I have stopped worrying inordinately about avoiding the sun and load up with sunscreen on my face and body and take off. Oh, and I have a hat that looks like a sombrero that I wear as I run. Okay, so I don’t look quite right running with that on my head, but I swallow my pride and wear it anyway. I think taking those measures for my skin is a good balance between enjoyment and prudence. Recently, my favorite sunscreen for my face is Supergoop’s Unseen Sunscreen SPF 40 which I found at Anthropologie, and Shiseido’s Ultimate Sun Protector Lotion SPF 50 for my body. Protected with these two sunscreens and my goofy hat, i’m enjoying the freedom of running outdoors.

Admittedly, part of my drive to run outdoors this summer is an inordinate amount of stress that I am experiencing personally. I have found that the amount of calm I feel is proportional to how much I run. When wearing myself out on the track, I can feel stress pouring off of me and a level of calm in my spirit. Also pushing my body to my limits while running makes me feel like no matter what is going on in my life, I have done something positive for myself that day. When I push my body to achieve a goal, it is easier to have control over the mind also, and not give in to negative feelings and fear. I also feel like I have earned whatever calories I will eat for dinner.

To make matters even better, not only are does one run off stress, but also the skin glows after exercising. Along with all of the other benefits, there is a level of brightness to my skin that can never be obtained from a bottle.

I totally understand Forrest Gump’s desire to just run, “ Run Forest Run". Forrest must have felt really wonderful after running those 15,000 miles. He may not have known why he had the drive to run but perhaps Forrest knew innately that by moving the body, the mind and spirit are soothed in ways which are inexplicable. We all have a place where we feel most at home. Mine is on a track.