why i run. or something like that.

I always want to say something clever, at least with the title.

But that just means this sits quiescent for long periods.

Daily life is a bit of a whirlwind sometimes.

I ran another 5k "race" last weekend. A beautiful course. I half-jokingly referred to it as "too much estrogen in one place" as it was a "woman-oriented" race -- a fundraiser for a girls' charity, sponsored by a local women's running clothing shop. Fun, but not particularly well-organized, at least in the ways I wanted it to be.

It did make me think about my "athletic" goals for the next few months. There are people I know who have racing seasons (some of which are extreme, some of which just involve impressive triathlons).

I'm by nature a fairly competitive person. But that's actually NOT why I'm doing this. Especially the running. I run for the moving meditation, when it happens. I run for the ability to let things percolate and think through. I run the for sensation of slightly labored breathing and tired legs and the satisfaction of having gotten up that hill. I run because it doesn't require a gym, or special equipment beyond good shoes and a good sports bra -- it's just there. I run to see different parts of my city, my surroundings. I run to increase my stamina for the trapeze.

Yes, it all comes back to the trapeze at some point or another.

I don't run fast. Or far. I'm working on both those things. But that's not why I run.

and it's good to remember. I run because I love to. Not because I have to. Not because I want to beat someone, even myself.

the fact that it burns off my over-indulgences in wine and ice-cream doesn't hurt either...