Old Friends

Yesterday, I ran the  bridges course (my 7 1/2 mile course that goes from my office, down the Mall, past the Lincoln Memorial, across the Memorial Bridge into Virginia, south along the Mt. Vernon bike path along the Potomac, back to DC across the 14th Street bridge, and back to the office).  This was the last of my regular running routes that I finally ran since returning to running from my injury (the others being the Millenium Trail near home and the memorials 6 1/2 miler at work).  Not sure why it took me so long to run this one again.

As I ran the course for the first time in well over a year, everything about the route seemed familiar.  I thought to myself, and hopefully this isn't too goofy, it's like seeing an old friend again.  I've run these routes so many times, I could probably do them with my eyes closed. There is a comfortableness, a familiarity.  A sense that I can just relax on these runs and let my thoughts wander.  No need to concentrate on where I am, how to get back to the start, what the road conditions might be like, etc. that you might experience on a new running route. 

It's like being with old friends -- you can just be yourself.  You don't need to put on airs, or engage in the awkward just-met-someone small talk.  It's comfortable, familiar, and relaxing.

I think I may do that route again today.