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Convincingly



Age has nothing to do with it… 2/25/2023

As my usual after chores, I bicker with myself.

“I don’t feel like running today. Just stop that. That’s crazy talk. Okay reset mind.”

“Do I do chores then read, write, and edit for four hours then run?”

Making tea and doing pet care. “Or do I do only pet chores, stretch and then run? Or do I do chores, read, stretch then run?”

Putting the dishes away. “How about not stretching? No that’s dumb. Okay start over.”

Emptying the trash. “Run after chores, read a little bit, stretch and get outside run at least five miles and try to do seven; but you know you wanted to run ten miles.”

I stretched then got outside, “Well, we will see.” Hits stopwatch.

“I better test the hill. I’ll know by then”. I’d been avoiding our big hill for days now.

“Snowing is good. Maybe that’s what I needed. I really should do ten.” Up to Glen then over down Vreeland; then to Erie; then Ridge road. Pass the elementary school by Clinton.

“Yeah. Com’on don’t be a wimp. Do ten miles.” Checking the watch at 4.5 miles in.

Two miles later. “I think twelve miles is a good number. Yeah. Aim for twelve today.”

Skirts near Glen Rock. Then back up near Ridge School. Then back onto to Erie, now in Midland Park. “You know thirteen miles is just another—not even eight more minutes. And you know, if you could’ve done thirteen miles today and you did twelve then you’re editing so much that tomorrow you’ll feel too lousy to put in five to seven miles, you’ll be mad at yourself. You just know that. So, suck it up and do thirteen miles today.”

Gets into the Hillcrest and Heights areas loops through. “Well, I’ve got eleven miles in. Yeah, I could do fourteen miles. Yeah. Com’on that’s easy.”

Nearing the twelve-mile mark, doing loops by the old horse farm area. “The more you run today, tomorrow you can be a slob and run five miles. Com’on. And you want to run across the United States. Not at this rate. Your attitude sucks.”

More loops done near Belmont and Avondale. “I’m in my seventh decade of life and my fifth decade of running distance. When I’m in my 6th decade of running distance I can complain and be grumpy.”

I turn away from going towards Monroe and home. I take on another few loops past Hillcrest. “You know it would be smart to do fifteen today. You don’t feel bad at all. Your mind is more rested than you’d thought. Remember its all about the mind. Strengthen the damn thing Jody, do fifteen miles.”

Well past thirteen miles I looked down at my watch. “See not so bad. You ain’t dragging. Fifteen miles is a mile a away. Make it so.” I finished with fifteen and not dragging either.---Jody-Lynn Reicher 

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