There is nothing at all glamorous about a mid-night 'disagreement' with your beloved over the topic of an early morning race......
Many of us have been there before....trying to explain (to loved ones, friends, strangers, houseplants, ourselves...) the compulsion behind why we feel the need to run, to strenuously put ourselves through pain, over and over. Why it's not necessarily something we enjoy, but find it practically impossible to resist. I guess the best analogy I could use to describe the sensation is having a mosquito bite in the middle of your back with only a cattle prod to scratch it.
Regardless....it's probably this innate flaw (in being able to draw logical parallels) that created such problems for at 11:30pm last night. But, I digress...
We had returned for the night from watching her brother play a musical gig, when my beloved suggested that getting up in 3 hours for a low-key, community fun run may not be the best idea for either of us and perhaps not as 'fun' as one would think.
My rational mind probably agreed, I was coming to the end of a huge week (by my recent standards, 120+kms including a 6km race), was very tired, probably prone to injury and could easily make up the kilometers later. Unfortunately for both of us though, my rational brain was shirking it's responsibility, probably kicking up it's heels on the dance floor still.
Instead, 'the runner me' tried to feebly explain, that there really wasn't another option. My best excuse? 'We really should'.....hardly an input worthy of inclusion into the Guinness Book's 'Compelling Arguments' chapter, but it was my only ammo, and I used it over, and over, add nauseum.
Finally Michelle (My fiance....did I mention that?), saw the error of arguing with me in such a state, set the alarm, and simply said "We'll see how you feel in the morning."
Perhaps this was an underestimation of the depth that the roots of my Undiagnosed-Running-OCD ran, because when the alarm went off 3.5hours later, I was up and ready to go.
Long story short....we came to an 'agreement' and decided to stop arguing. The only way to do this? To head to the race. However...
In perhaps the greatest moment of spousal-karmic-justice we made it to the race....5 minutes after it started.
Immediately the depth of my idiocracy hit home. The world did not end when we didn't toe the start line....in fact, I suddenly realised just how worthwhile the morning would have been, as a much overdue 'rest day'....in fact I was so unfazed by our tardiness that in my head (I'm sorry to admit) I'd already began thinking of the next weekend of races.
But today, we ran together; just Michelle and I. We ran slowly around the streets talking and enjoying being us. We didn't solve the 'OCD', but I did apologize...numerous times, and take the time to realize that it's highly unlikely that these races are a case of 'life and death'. These races will be replaced next week, month, and year by their siblings, as well as other races, millions of them (probably). They are a dime-a-dozen, as frequent as a full carpark at Christmas time....
...Except, of course, next week's Sherwood Forest Community Run....that is a race that's already penciled in.
(sorry Shell).
Till next time.
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