A Passion for Running

I had the most unbelievable experience tonight!

It happened during the bike ride home. I decided to stop by a bike shop to see if I could spend some money I got for my birthday. I got to the store and noted it was spitting rain as I entered the store. I walked around for five minutes and went to leave when I noticed it POURING rain outside.

I decided to wait five more minutes to see if things would get better – they did so I began the ride home.

One block later, the hard rain was back – TIMES TEN!!!

It was FOR SURE one of the hardest rains I’ve ever even seen and here I was riding my bike in it. This is going to sound like BS but it was unfricken believable. I was peddling in one to two inches of water and my bike tires were actually leaving a wake!

It was very hard to see and the rain hurt my arms which were bare and it was a bit scary for the first five minutes because I was in heavy traffic and I worried they’d not see me.

I managed to get to service roads after a few minuts of riding. That’s when it started HAILING! Ya, that’s right I got hailed on for a good five minutes! Lots of lightning and thunder too!

Finally the hail stopped but the rain just kept pounding and pounding but you know what?

I LOVED it!!! I had so much fun riding in the rain. I can’t even BEGIN to describe the exhileration. I felt like I was 10 years old again. Cars went by with kids pointing at me. Other cars honked (probably cause they thought I was a complete fool!) and I even passed a few teenagers who were walking in the rain. I just smiled the whole way and they smiled right back. Then, I passed a restaurant where two cooks were outside having a smoke break. One yelled out, “hey buddy – how do you like this?!” I threw both arms to the sky and yelled “woooooohoooooo!!!!!”. They just laughed and laughed.

The rain lasted 20 minutes at least and it was the most amazing, joyful experience I’ve had in a LONG time. I was completely drenched and clean as a whistle but it truly felt as much a spiritual cleansing as it had been an external one.

I can’t WAIT for that to happen again.

WOW!!!

I guess I should say something about running. I ran five miles today at a nice easy pace. Very enjoyable…

…now I’m going to bed and see if I can dream about that ride in the rain!