My morning run started under a pitch black sky. The clocks fall back this weekend, but for now, the morning is dark.
My headlamp cast a dim beam ahead, giving me about 5 feet of visibility. I figured a coyote, mountain lion or ill-intentioned long jumper can leap at least 8 feet, so this did not make me feel good.
Less than a quarter mile from my front door, I had my first scare. Something rustled loudly in the bushes next to me. “It’s just a bird,” I told myself. Just a bird. Justabirdjustabirdjustabird…. As I turned the corner I heard an animal shuffling along the lawn beside me. I whipped my headlamp in its direction and saw the large fluffy tail and ominous white stripe of a hearty skunk. I kept moving.
I learned that street lights don’t run the length of Hollister Avenue. I was grateful for every car that drove by, because the headlights temporarily widened my view of the area. And as my mind wandered to images of coyotes I’d spotted on Farren Road, which really wasn’t that far away, I made myself more and more nervous.
The wind picked up as I jogged along Cathedral Oaks. Unable to see much, I was haunted by the noises. The insects sounded aggressive. The eucalyptus trees creaked and groaned. Dry leaves scratched across the cement as they tumbled after me. A beer can clanked down the gutter. It was comically creepy.
I said hello as I passed three walkers. They didn’t reply. Zombies?
I saw a hint of pink on the horizon as I approached Glen Annie. A moment later a rooster began crowing and screeching, warding off the night.
As the sky grew lighter and lighter, so did my mood and my steps. The comfort of daylight relaxed me, and made the final miles of a long run pretty pleasant.
What’s the point? There are three:
1) Fear could be the next hot trend in training. It definitely gets your heart rate up!
2) All things are relative. Just as running uphill makes me more grateful for the downhills, running in the dark makes me more grateful for the light. I’ve learned this is also true with pain. Sure, my achilles was nagging a bit, but compared to a month ago, it felt great!
3) Happy Halloween. Stay safe, but give yourself a little scare. It’s fun.