The Day Running Stopped

Over the last six weeks, I've been struggling to explain to myself what happened to the runner in me. I crossed the Marine Corps Marathon finish line and essentially hung up my running shoes.  I've never done that before. 

Around Thanksgiving, I wrote a post explaining the beginning of this experience. How strange it is not to run. Or have a desire to. For the first time in many years, have runners pass me by and I've not been jealous. 

Since that post, I've run zero times.

Does this mean my running career is over? I keep thinking back to the scene in Forrest Gump where he suddenly stops running. 

Maybe this is me (minus the facial hair). 

But today, like any, is a new day. For the first time in a number of days, it's a balmy 29 degrees and the sun is out. To top it off, I'm off work today. 

Maybe today's the day to say hello to running again. I'm going to charge up my Garmin and iPod, then put on my cold weather gear. I'll head down the route I've taken countless times over the last seven years and I'll see what happens. It might be a little bit awkward like a first date, but hopefully running understands that sometimes we need to give it a break.