The Perils of Jogging, Part 1

I knew that during the next few years, it would be especially tempting to stop exercising. I have classes to study for dealing with subjects that I have never attempted, classes to teach in subjects that I have not taught in over 20 years, long-term projects (writing for academic publications and dissertation) and short-term projects (writing papers for classes and academic forums), and, like many of you, I have the same demands on time of a family man, a homeowner and a disciple of Christ. In that mix of time that makes up my day, I knew that exercising regularly needed to become a priority, or I simply would stop doing it. 

And then came the heat.

So every other day, I have been running in the morning before the sun comes up. On alternate days I ride a stationary bike. This has worked out fairly well. I have been working up to 4 miles a morning twice a week and on the third run for the week, 6 miles. 

Then came the Fall.

Because it is dark, I try to always run on the sidewalk or, when there is not a sidewalk, the street. Admittedly, this involves some degree of hazard, but it tends to keep me awake and alert at 5: 30 in the morning. This past week I was running in a street that flanks our neighborhood. When I heard cars coming up behind me, I jumped up on the median in stride, a perfect running machine :) When the cars passed, I jumped back into the street. Almost as soon as I hit the pavement again, sweat drops streamed into my eyes. As I continued to run in the dark in the street, I took the bottom of my shirt and lifted it to my face to wipe the sweat out of my eyes. One millisecond after doing this, I was flying to the ground, hitting hard on my right elbow, rolling over to my hip, and in the process, banging my knee and ankle on the concrete. 

It happened so fast that I was completely caught off guard. WHAT (just happened)? HOW (did it happen whatever happened)? WHAT (is going on)? Somewhere lurking behind all these questions was WHY (did this happen)?

Although in moments I am prone to immediately ask God, WHY is this happening to me? This was not a time where I made this a discussion point with God. I jumped up quickly - lying in the middle of the street in the dark is not where I wanted to be. I was still a mile or so away from the house, so I knew it would be best to keep running home.

This morning I returned to the scene of the crime.