Sixteen and Twenty-seven

There's nothing easy about running sixteen miles. Except for seventeen, eighteen, nineteen and, well, all that follow. This particular sixteen had a few other tricks up it's sleeve, such as 28 degrees with wind and an I'm-going-to-pick-you-up-at-ten-thirty-be-ready call from my mother. Translation: wear layers and hurry.

Miles one through ten passed like any other. I got into some music, enjoyed the rising sun and remembered how the benefit of cold weather is that you have to wear gloves and therefore, have built-in snot and sweat wipers. How convenient. Then, mile eleven. I started to feel the cold. My legs started to feel tired. Really, really tired. I stopped to walk a little, that helped some. Same thing in mile twelve, and thirteen. Walked twice in mile fourteen, once in mile fifteen and the majority of mile sixteen. All in all, the run took about twenty minutes longer than I'd hoped. But, the sixteen miles were covered. I'm not entirely sure how to look at it. Not a complete failure, but not a complete success. Something in between, something unsure.

Somewhere in this uncertain run, I had a chance to think about today, this last day of twenty-six. I thought of the seasons, the travel, the work, the friends; all of it. It was a year of saying goodbye at times, and welcoming the new. It was a year of many firsts, and a few lasts. A year of learning and change and yet, a year of becoming better at being me; I did twenty-six pretty well, I think. Birthdays are so unlike long runs because they don't get harder. I suppose, though, they're just as beneficial in that each time one comes around, you're a little more prepared for what lies ahead.

I never really put much stock into those 'getting older' phrases that seem to surround us. I never thought much about the way we (hopefully) collect knowledge as we get older. Thankfully, wisdom is forgiving and allows you to posses it, even in doubt. It really does get better all the time. Or maybe that feeling is age, I don't know. The best thing is, I don't have to. That's what I really feel. The unknown is allowed now and it's not as scary as it once seemed.

I'm not sure what twenty-seven will bring. Sure, I'd like it to include good times, success, family and friends; some new, some old, some running and some beaches. Those are all things I'd like but really, I know I'll get what I need. It may not be a complete success or a complete failure, but appropriately, it will land somewhere in between.