Tuesday, May 12, 2009

Miles before smiles.

The short version is that I was involved in some decidedly non-running pettiness yesterday: Mrs. Zero meant to send an email to a friend but instead sent it to me. In the email, Mrs. Zero said some mean things about me. I was upset. The end.

OK, not the end end. End of the short story. But here's where running comes in:

Yesterday was a planned day off because Owen doesn't get home until 8 on Mondays. I needed to run. I was still seething several hours after I read the email and I just wanted to get the feeling out. So, as soon as Owen walked in the door, I was out.

Running, my panacea.

I thought all sorts of mean things about Mrs. Zero during my first mile. All sorts. It was good to get those thoughts out of my system because then I could move on to the buck-you-up expressions. And, let me tell you, I needed to get the buck-you-up expressions (sticks and stones . . . etc., etc.) out of my system because no one wants to run while repeating annoying childhood rhymes to themselves. Believe me!

I ran out the anger, ran out the stress, ran out the hurt. What Mrs. Zero said doesn't matter. In fact, I've been criticized in worse ways and I'm sure there will be even worse yet to come. And that's OK. You can't please all of the people all of the time. I can take it. I really can. I can practically bound up hills, for Pete's sake! I can run (relatively) fast! And I can keep running even when I want, more than anything, to quit.

Big deal? Well, yeah. It is a big deal. Because it isn't just running. Those hills aren't just on the roads and when write of quitting I don't just mean when running 800s. I think you get my drift.

I needed that run to remind me of what I am. And it did. I ended no longer seething, but smiling.

Running, my panacea.

~ Felice

28 comments:

ShutUpandRun said...

Running really does help with sorting out the crap. I'm glad you were able to do that.

Goddess Librarian said...

I'm glad that you have running to help you deal with ridiculous things like this. I know I've said it before, but I think you're amazing. Mrs. Zero can suck it!

Lee Ryan said...

Oh - so true.

Mis-sent e-mail: the ultimate flop.

Running: the ultimate cure.

Mel -Tall Mom on the Run said...

So funny because when I played basketball in high school and college it was my escape from any negative things going on around me...teenagers say mean things... Now that I am a Mom and have a career running is my way to escape, clear my head and stay "Normal." Thanks for this post..

Good luck with the Zeros..

tfh said...

Someone said mean things about you? Inconceivable. Well, I definitely find running medicine for that kind of thing, too. And that includes running in the other direction in a mad sprint whenever I see People Like That approaching.

Marlene said...

Ugh, that sucks. Glad to hear you were able to run it off. Have you ever NOT felt better after a run?

Denise said...

Whoa, what happened?? That's great that you got out there for the run and it helped. I hope you're feeling better!

Rookie on the Run said...

Sent the email to you? What kind of a ding-dong does that?! :P

It is SO good you were able to run off the anger. I love that running resets my moods and puts things in perspective. Especially for things that are not worth your emotional investment.

Are you going to mention to Mrs. Zero that she sent you the email? It might be funny to see her reaction. Just a thought...

Heather said...

Running is a cure all. I love it when I finish a run and think, "Now what was I so worked up about to begin with?"

Mrs. Zero sounds like a serious zero to me!

Anonymous said...

One of the many benefits of being a runner. It really is an activity that lets you let go.

Lindsay said...

glad you were able to squeeze in a run and pound out some frustration! i can imagine the boiling blood. sound like you were able to get things straight in your mind and get yourself calm again. mrs zero is more in the negatives in my opinion.

Casey said...

Way to go with the run. It's good to sort stuff out alone like that. I once heard a quote that said, "What people think of me is none of my business." I didn't quite get it because it seemed like it IS my business what people think of me. But it's not. People are dramatic and exaggerators and have skewed perceptions of others.

Way to get past it! Will you call her out on it?

KK @ Running Through Life said...

I am glad you got in a run and got the negative stuff out of your system. That's too bad that Mrs. Zero wrote nasty stuff about you.

kilax said...

Sometimes I love an angry run. I imagine I am pounding that person instead of the pavement. It helps. I am happy it worked for you!

Because I would be fumiung about that!

Ace said...

Gotta love cheap therapy, that happens to be good for you physically.

Don't listen to the voices! Especially the ones that aren't worth listening to.

Anonymous said...

it serves so many purposes! I've definitely done this before - totally unplanned once. I woke up for an early run, read something I wasn't ready to see, aaaand....one of my fastest 5 miles on the road to date! haha, I'll take it.

hope you're feelin' better about things*

Aron said...

I am so glad you were able to get out there and let it out... running truly does let us get stress, bad feelings, etc out of us.

Diana said...

People are just plain mean. And stupid. It's awesome that you didn't hang on to it and got it out of your system. I have a hard time doing that. I think I will take from your example and run (ok, walk really fast, but it's my equivallent) it out.

joyRuN said...

Sounds like Mrs. Zero's not only a petty person, but a raging dumb-@$$ as well.

Glad you were able to get a run in to soothe your system!

Marcy said...

Where is she? I can B smack her for you! ;-) Nah only playin. I feel bad for her. Really. She's too scared to directly bring to you any issues she may have had? AND she doesn't even do it right. DOH! I'm glad that you found an outlet for your energy because wasting anymore of it on her would be a bad thing :-)

Abby said...

Ugh, this is one of my biggest fears - both the sending of and receiving errant emails.

Glad that the run helped beat that anger right out of you! Definitively a cure-all.

Aaron Cunningham said...

Ah, the joys of email.

And a very well said. Running is a cure for all sorts of things.

To steal a quote from a friend:
"The cure for anything is salt water. Sweat, tears, or the sea."
-Isak Dinesen

Lara Robinson said...

I've run out some incredibly intense feelings, too. Anger, sadness, inadequecies, childhood insanities... it all comes out on a run. That's one of the reasons I run, honestly, is to get it out so I can return a better person. Good for you for knowing what you needed to do and getting the job done. I bet it felt great to pound the streets when you had that pent-up anger.

RunToTheFinish said...

shut up she sent a nasty gram...seriously I thought that stuff stopped in like high school!

running is my relief too!!!

I Run for Fun said...

Ugh...on email too? And about you? I think she's crazy. I happen to think you are a sweetheart.

Running is so therapeutic. I am so glad we have something that keeps us from going insane.

J said...

I just went through something similar. But no mean email. I was just angry at my immature roommate and going to practice really helped. Glad things worked out and you got all your anger out!!

Felice Devine said...

These comments made me feel even better than the run! Thanks, thanks, thanks!

Mel-2nd Chances said...

Sounds like the run was just what you needed, glad it helped :D

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