Today I will run as far as I can and I will not stop until I am spent.
I will run from my fears, and run from the pain.
Today, I will run and I will run without gain.
I will run, today, with a power to live.
I will run with my love and my pride and my hate.
I will run today and no one will know that I am running away and no one said “go.”
When I run today, I will not think, my mind and thoughts will my legs overtake.
My muscles will pump and the blood will flow through, my joints will ache and my body will drain.
But through all of this I will keep running, because when I run, to the road I’ve submit.
My mind will be gone in its own quite place, and no noise will I hear nor smile will I fake.
Today I will run as strong as I can and today I will run with no finish line.

--Laura Muhawesh

My knee hurts. My left knee that is. An acute pain under the patella, which is interesting as last summer my right knee had the same feeling. I will displace my cleat on the left biking shoe outward as to align my knee over my foot.

Running before sunrise is better than any other time of day. The peaceful, crisp air awakens the senses. The purple above the tree line foreshadows what is to come later in the day. Head west to start - run into the darkness, back to where it was safe in a cold, dark room. Finish toward the rising sun that is warm on a cold, March morning.

I am a runner.