Brian’s fitness journal after a brain stroke
By this evening, I was thoroughly exhausted because of an early wake-up call.
That is not especially unusual after my regular Saturday 10-kilometer run, but today came with a few unexpected complications. The weather turned noticeably hotter and far more humid, and my carefully planned morning began with a visitor who was not on my schedule.
A skunk.
Few things will get your attention before sunrise quite like your phone ringing because a skunk has taken up residence near your front door.
Early this morning, my wife called while she was returning from her run. A skunk had wandered in front of our entrance, and she quite reasonably decided that sharing the sidewalk with it was a terrible idea. Instead of risking a close encounter and an unforgettable fragrance, she asked me to open the garage door so she could enter the house from another direction.
I was more than happy to help.
I was just less enthusiastic about being awake.
Under our front porch is a small opening that has long served as a cozy home for various wildlife. Years ago, several groundhogs lived there. I had not seen them for quite some time and assumed the little underground apartment had become vacant.
Apparently, the local real estate market had other plans.
A skunk has evidently decided that the former groundhog residence is an excellent place to live. I suppose one creature’s abandoned property is another creature’s dream home.
Unfortunately, the phone call arrived about an hour before my alarm was set to ring.
I briefly considered returning to sleep. My brain even presented a compelling argument in favor of the pillow. Unfortunately, once I am fully awake, negotiations with sleep rarely end in my favor.
So I admitted defeat.
I climbed out of bed, put on my running clothes, and headed out for my Saturday 10K considerably earlier than planned.
The run itself went well enough, but the combination of lost sleep, rising temperatures, and Nashville’s legendary humidity gradually caught up with me. By evening, I could feel every kilometer and every missing hour of sleep.
Fortunately, the solution is refreshingly uncomplicated.
Tonight, I plan to go to bed a little earlier than usual and let sleep do what no amount of determination can replace.
Running teaches discipline.
Skunks, apparently, teach flexibility.
Sometimes the day’s training begins long before the first step of the run.