I have a hard time saying goodbye to old running shoes. They remind me of where I’ve been and how many miles I’ve put on them. Of a concerted effort I chose voluntary when, if I’m honest, sitting on a couch inside a temperature-controlled environment eating cheese and mustard sandwiches is more appealing.
But that was not the choice I made. I made a choice to lace up my running shoes and to run. To step outside and into the forest. To navigate the roots of trees. To thwart rocks at my ankles. To splash through shallow creek crossings. To ascend steep inclines and descend back down at a speed I can barely control. A madman with no brakes. Where’s the sand trap?
I made the decision to sweat and sweat hard.
To feel my heart race and my lungs ache.
I did this all in well worn shoes.
Shoes patched with duct tape and shoe goo.
Shoes that have taken a beating yet held me upright when all I wanted to do was be back home and collapse down into a chair.
New shoes represent who I’ve not yet become. Old shoes. Worn shoes. Shoes with holes visible at the toe. They represent something else. Who I have become. Who I became over the last 500 or more miles of my life.
I wear them longer than is recommended.
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Your Internet Mixtape: Vol. 1
In the spirit of sharing links to others creating cool stuff on the web, I present Your Internet Mixtape: Vol. 1 for your weekend leisure:
- I Stopped to Read Some Signs and Let Me Tell You. Brendan Leonard at Semi-Rad.
- Whatever It Is, I Probably Don’t Need It. Mike Grindle.
- I (Still) Blog Therefore I (Still) Am. Alan Levine at CogDogBlog.
- I’m Sick. Beau Miles on YouTube.