Went to the park after work and ran, B tagged along. He's bizarrely wimpy about distance for a guy who plays soccer half the year. I think some people get intimidated by running when it's laid out for them like that, but honestly, a four-mile run lasts less time than a half of soccer if you can run anything under a ten-minute pace. And if you can't hold a ten-minute pace, I bet you don't play soccer. I wouldn't tell him this, but I have my reservations about running buddies. The last time I ran with one regularly was sophomore year, when Z and I lived together. I was religious then: Four miles a day, except Mondays and Thursdays when I did six, and one rest day per week. Z would skip out a few days a week and I'd be alone, which I loved, and I still love. Even the high school XC team was too social for me. Most of my important life decisions are settled while I'm running-- or rather, the work that I put into my lungs and legs is also work put into my head and heart. I mean the big things, things that affect where I am going and who I will be long-term. I need a few miles to clear out and escape, so that I can weigh my options and feel settled. Sometimes-- like yesterday-- I actually make a decision and then talk myself out of it while running. But I trust running to make my mind clear, and help me stay on track. Besides that, it is a good way to gauge how my life is: if I'm not running well, I'm probably not living well. If I am too physically weak or mentally distracted to run daily, it's a red flag that something in my life is not functioning correctly. Even in these next few months as I try to get my mileage up, I want to remember that. I am still waiting to see how this particular decision comes out. I will need a lot of miles on this one and I have a long way to go.
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