Recess for the Brain

I went for a run last night, the first one in nearly a week.  It was just a slow 3 miler (well, all my runs are slow!), but it felt good to get my body moving again.  I started out listening to a podcast, but that just wasn't cutting it, so I turned it off after about half a mile and continued with the evening sounds as my company.  My route last night was on a jogging trail that has some pretty deep woods on one side, and the back fences of houses on the other, so it stays pretty secluded.  It was nearly 7:00 before I got out there, the sun was going down, and the air was cooling off.  The fragrance of pine trees, freshly cut grass, and assorted fall flowers accompanied the run, and I tried very hard to just enjoy the solitary time outside.  It was oddly quiet, with only a few crickets here and there; I guess it's gotten too  chilly for many birds in the evening. 

 As I ran last night, I tried to let my mind drift around the smells and sights of the run while letting my legs drop into their own rhythm.  Letting my brain spin itself out down whatever random strand it chooses is one of my favorite things about running.  I don't really run to get faster, or to race.  I run partly for the vain reason to make sure that my clothes to fit, and I run to stay in shape as I get older, but perhaps more importantly, I run for the mental aspect. 

With running, once your legs come online, you can pretty much let them take over the physical and you can set your mind free to chase down whatever strands need pursuing.  There are times when you do need to pay attention to your stride, breathing, form, or other technical aspects, and that's fine.  But my favorite part of running is knowing that for the length of my run, whatever it may be that day, I can give my mind permission to roam, and see where it takes me.  That time is mine, and mine alone, and I can spend it however I want.  I've often called my exercise "my therapy" and there's probably more than a little truth to that.  It's hard to come back from a good run and feel as stressed or as irritable as you were when you left - you've just let your mind out for recess; how can it possibly come back feeling anything other than happy and relaxed?  And the final cherry on top?  A well deserved post run treat (so what if my treat is a whiskey & coke or a glass of wine to end the evening - don't judge).  The perfect end to a busy Thursday.