Luna

Luna, or moon, is the first part of lunatic.  Some have commented on how the running I do is a little crazy.  I wonder if not running might make me a little crazy.

The moon.  That glowing orb which shares the suns rays with us as a cold and distant friend.  Changing with the seasons and the days.  The ebb of its brilliance brings us new ways of appreciating its beauty.  It always seems that its extremes are most poignant for me. 

The crescent moon like a glass of white wine tipped sideways pouring its effervescence on us in little bits, but reminding us of its presence in as it seems least visible like a phone call or message from a friend we haven't seen in a while or haven't had that deeper connection even though we see one another regularly, but only in passing. 

The just past full moon rose through the clouds this evening.  Yellow and warm over a cold night.  The track was host to scattered packs of runners reveling in the exhaustion of a hard workout completed.  The number of runners who stopped what they were doing to comment on the moon was overwhelming. 

Was our emptiness from not eating and running our bodies into submission the reason for our awareness of the moon?  Is it that the full or near full moon is significant in a different manner than the crescent?  Somehow reminding us on the other extreme of the spectrum how full our lives are with friends, family, work, expectation and obligations?  Does our running bring us into closer connection with the natural cycles of the universe through interaction with the elements in such a raw manner?  Or maybe the endorphin rush of the workout made the rising of the moon seem far more significant than it might otherwise?

Answers are irrelevant, for me, when discussing the cosmos.  Asking the questions was an interesting diversion for me as I drove home in the glow of knowing I had really pushed myself tonight. 

A fantastic time in a race, some hardware, accolades of others - these are the extrinsic rewards that drive some to put in the hard miles required to excel.  Sharing sweat, smiles, slaps on the back, a good joke or tale, and an appreciation of the amazing bounty of the universe are the benefits of running that get me out the door.  What gets you out the door and what do you find once you are out there?