My college track coach used to call time trials “personal inventories.” I had an unplanned one a few of days ago, on a beautiful runner’s morning. Out about a mile, I realized I was feeling especially good, and just let it go. It was great. Cool day, enough of a push to get into that rhythm which is one of the joys of non-competitive running, and just enough sense not to take it too hard or too far.
Of course, over the weekend I was dragging myself around groaning and drooling, and staggered home barely alive.
Personal inventories aren’t just for running, of course, which was certainly one of the points Ellie was trying to make in his gently quirky way. I live in the hope that at least an occasional future assessment comes up cool and rhythmic, like that beautiful morning last week.