Falling in Love (Part 2)

I spent Friday night desolate. Running and I have cooled off, split. Truth is I do not know what we have and what I want the relationship to be. My muscles ached and my spirit was beaten. I spent the night tossing in bed, certain only that the following morning I shall settle things with her - on the roads where I first met her and began to know her.

I arrive 8:30 am in our meeting place in the village. Meeting time was 7am and I was late again. She didn't speak a word. Fifty meters into our run it drizzled. I scurried into my vehicle while she disappeared into the rain. Fate seemed to conspire against us. Reluctantly, I left our meeting place.

I didn't want the relationship to end just like that. I thought of going to a nearby gym where I can run on the treadmill. The treadmill had been my wingman who made me know running better. Treadmill had been the friend who prepared me for my races. The last two weeks I made treadmill my tormentor. Mad for speed, I kept my eyes on its screen, constantly awaiting the signal for me to run faster and anxiously monitoring distances covered. I used to love that screen for it gave me encouragement as I slowly progressed. Now I hate the screen for it reminds me of my inadequacies. Running used to be fun; I turned her into obligation.

God must have seen my anguish for He made the rain stop as I was about to reach the gym. I hurriedly went back to the village. I was not sure how long the clouds will hold back the rain so I opted to park in a quiet part of the village. There I can make small, quiet rounds with running. We need to talk and sort things out.

The initial encounter was awkward. I didn't know how to start. Suddenly I was that teenage boy again holding the hand of a girl I like, but not knowing what to say. Unsure of ourselves, we walked along the park. With youthful spontaneity, we made a left turn, crossed a wooden bridge, traversed the linear park, and found ourselves in a street we haven't trodden. The mood seemed to pick up from there. I found myself slowly jogging. Since I went out with running again in August, I haven't felt this excited.