well i built me a raft and she's ready for floatin
ol' mississippi, she's calling my name
catfish are jumpin, that paddle wheel thumpin
black water keeps rollin on past just the same
ol' black water, keep on rollin
mississippi moon won't ya keep on shinin' on me
yeah keep on shinin' your light
gonna make everything, pretty mama
gonna make everything all right
and i ain't got no worries
cuz i ain't in no hurry at all

--the doobie brothers!--


so i'm sitting here tonight with one foot soaking in an epsom salt tub and one foot wrapped with an ice pack. my shins ache, but not as much as they did the last time. my back is twinging and, in my shorts and tshirt, i'm now freezing. if you're wondering why i do it, well, you're not the only one! the bro and SIL are out of town right now, on a well-deserved vacation, and while they sweetly arranged for a friend to come and exercise the pups each day, it turns out she can only come tomorrow. so when i got home tonight, Gwen and Luna were scaling the walls of the house. i couldn't bring myself to leave them behind, so we saddled up and headed out. they fell all over themselves! it was pretty cute to watch Gwen bouncing along like a little puppy. they are such good dogs. but still. on the way back, after the scheduled two miles for today, we stopped and i grabbed some mexican food, which absolutely hit the spot. and now i'm sitting here wondering why the hell do i run?

i run because i feel better afterwards.

i run because the burn in my lungs and legs replaces the burn in my heart and head.

i run because i get to be outside.

i run to see the envious looks on the faces of people driving by.

i run so that i can lose weight.

i run so that i can do a half marathon.

i run so that i can do a marathon.

i run so that i don't disappoint myself.

i run to reframe each day.

i run because luna loves me most when we're running.

i run so that when i'm tired at night, it's a tired i earned.

i run because it makes my father proud.

i run because the bro and SIL believe that i can.

i run because it makes my mother smile.

i run for the bad runs, and the good ones.

i run because every time i do, i'm a little bit stronger.

i run because the stronger my body gets, the stronger my mind gets.

i run to fall down so that i can get up again and keep running.

i run to prove myself wrong.

i run because it's the only way i have learned how to be free.