perambulators perambulate

in an earlier season of my life, i hung out in an online space where runners chatted about running stuff and tossed around phrases like "runners run" - a wisdom disguised as an inanity, equal parts well durr and HELLS TO THE YES. in those days, it wouldn't be unusual for me to put in 9 miles in one lunch hour (or so) - 3 miles to the park, 3 miles speed work, 3 miles back...my job was very different then, and my running much quicker. 

my job changed. our offices moved and instead of in a secluded alcove, i was working in a glass box. that and the larger team signaled increased responsibility. i could not in good conscience take expansive lunch hours.

my ability changed. i was diagnosed with asthma, battled tendonitis, took the skin off my right knee thrice across so many years - tripped while running. the last time, there was legit doubt that i had enough knee skin (as opposed to scar tissue) to enable skin to grow back. it did grow back thank goodness because getting butt skin grafted onto my knee did not seem a promising route. 

then there was the pandemic. rather than my tediously detailing the derailing, i'll just say that job, office, running, and family were all significantly disrupted, maybe not in that order. 

during that time, though, i did discover real joy in walking. well, walking and audiobooks. this is my balm, my rejuvenation, my joy. give me 3 miles and a narrator with no goofy vocal habits. ahh.

here recently, however, 3 isn't enough. i want 4 or 5 or more. the other day i miscalculated my route and did 7.5 and loved it, no regrets. the books are still part of it - undeniably - but i can listen to books sitting on my ass. the mileage craving is a thing unto itself. 

we'll see where it takes me - literally and figuratively - but i don't care about the ends. i don't have goals at this point...right now, it's just me and the mileage. 

why? c'mon. you know why. 

perambulators perambulate.