Running in the Dark

I ran in the dark last night, and I am not happy about it. I like it. I love it. I want some more of it. I'll tell you why. First, it is different. No longer do I dread going out the front door to deal with another day of extreme heat. I don't need my perpetually lost sunglasses in the dark. I have no need of sunscreen now. That saves me money. I also like the anonymity that the night brings. I'm not sure why, but it delights me.

There are several challenges that come with running after sundown and I like those challenges. One is traffic. One must be careful not to get run over. Heck, that's a challenge in broad daylight, but at night it is a double challenge. Another challenge happened to me a few years back. On a foggy night, I became temporarily disoriented. I zoned out and when I came to myself, I did not know where I was. I found that strange and delightful. Actually, I found it strangely delightful. It did not last long, however, before I realized where I was. Getting lost one street over from where I have lived for forty years could never happen at high noon.

In addition to the above, I like the gear that comes into play with a lack of light. Last night I did something I despise in others. I turned my ball cap backwards because I had one of those little clip on lights on the brim of the cap and turning it around gave me some visibility from the rear. I always carry a small hand-held light that I turn on when cars approach from the front. The bright light always causes them to veer to the side leaving me safe to shuffle onward. I used a third light last night. It was one that I clipped on the my Fuel Belt. It threw a lot of light out in front of me and gave me more than enough to see where my feet were landing. Sometimes, if the roads are bad, that is very important. 

At night, I see things I rarely spy in the sunshine. I have seen a giant rat running north on Grand Boulevard. I have seen raccoons come out of the trees and jump onto the sidewalk on the Boulevard, and I have even seen a fox on Grand. I see dogs everywhere (it seems that a lot of people let there pooch off the leash when darkness covers the town). I have seen owls. They hunt the town like it is a giant supermarket for them. I see other runners and walkers.

I encounter strange drivers also. I used to run the medium on the Boulevard. For some reason, motorists seem to be irritated by this. I can't understand why. They can't drive on it, and I am out of their way. But if I am close to the edge, they will pull just as near to the grass as they can. If you are on Grand look at the curbs of the medium. See those black marks? That is where drivers tires scrubbed the curb as they got as close to me as possible in an attempt to pick me off.

I hear different things in the night. I hear gunfire, police sirens, and trucks on Highway 82. I hear crickets, though not as many as in the summer time, hoot owls, and owl wings. Sometimes I hear nothing and nothing is my favorite sound of all.

Maybe is should be no surprise that I find running at night more therapeutic that running during the day. I feel more relaxed afterwards. I feel like I have spent some time alone. Alone time has always been necessary for my mental health.