Running Away

Yesterday afternoon, after a packed day of online classes, I sprawled on my bed and tried to get some homework done. But staring at the screen of my surface, I recoiled from the blue light attacking my eyeballs. I had been gazing at the light all day, and I now felt a headache creeping on, growing stronger each second I spent trying to focus on my screen. I looked away and pulled out my phone, only to be greeted with an even harsher blast of light. My stomach, unhappy with all the peeps, jellybeans, and chocolate lambs I’d consumed in the past 36 hours, growled at me. In short, I was all-around uncomfortable. I stood up, felt a wave of fatigue, plopped down on my bean bag chair, and proceeded to drift in and out of sleep for about 45 minutes.

When I awoke for good, I felt even more disoriented than I had before the nap. I looked at my watch. It was almost 6 o’clock. Though it was still rainy out, I needed to get my run in before dinner. I reluctantly thumped downstairs, pulled on my shoes, and dragged myself towards the door, thinking I’d perhaps struggle through 3 or 4 miles and call it a day. Either way, the rain seemed to be lightening up for now, so I groggily stepped off my front porch and shuffled out into the street.

30 minutes later, I was flying downhill through pounding water. The light rain had turned into a spring downpour. My shorts, shoes, and shirt were drenched and stuck to my skin. The rain hit my face and legs in fat drops. There were no people or cars in sight. I felt so free and alive that I let out a whoop to the elements. By the time I returned home after six miles at a much faster pace than usual, I’d gone from sleepy, bored, and headachey to fresh and exhilarated.

In these strange, shapeless, inactive days, such can be the effect of a good run. Or of a good walk, bike ride, roller-blade, kayak, rock climb – whatever form of outdoor exercise you prefer. To me, the defining aspect of these past few weeks has been changing routine, and with any new routine come some hiccups. With this one, I for one have experienced much more screen time and much less outdoor time than I’m accustomed to. It makes me sound 50 years old to say this, but getting outside and taking a break from the screen really does consistently improve my day. Maybe it helps make up for the loss of all those daily treks between Reed and the Schoolhouse (something I never exactly expected I’d miss). Regardless, it gives me a sense of accomplishment and freedom in an otherwise repetitive and confined time. And to bring some semi-related math into this, here’s a graph suggesting that consistent exercise can make you live longer.

So at the risk of once again sounding like a middle-aged father, I highly recommend getting off the computer and into the great outdoors. I guarantee you won’t regret it.

PS: Wow, I have to say, I’m a little impressed by just how cliche I managed to make that ending. Just a reminder to practice social distancing while you exercise. You can’t outrun a virus.