100 Words – Running Myths
2011
I went running a few days ago for the first time in many many years. I discovered taking up running after a significant time off is not at all like getting back on a bicycle. Things shift in the body over time, and while my muscles held some memory of what to do my bones jangled and clattered against one another in wrong ways.
I started out walking after a stretch. I walked past the coarse loud-voiced men playing horseshoes, the clangs of metal echoing across the landscape. The air was warmly heavy, sweet-smelling. I walked past the aging neighbors dueling from across the street on riding lawn-mowers. Past the three retirees sipping iced drinks on their concrete patio.
I live in a quintessential New England town. A place of farms and Colonials and town greens. The kind of place where strip malls still compete with Mom-n-Pop home-based businesses. Where tractors and Subarus and Volvos share the road. Where manicured lawn meets the edge of a neighboring weed infested wild garden yard.
I turn left onto a quiet side road and begin to run, feeling a bag of bones layered over with straining muscle. I’m awkward, but determined. I mark goals by the tall maples lining the road and somehow I make it to 5, and then 10, and so on. My body begins to remember, muscles pulling posture into place, arms tightly swinging to keep balance. As I pass the houses I think of the myths their neat lawns and clapboard siding tell.
Myth. That was the word when I last left you weeks ago. Tara offered up this delicious piece:
A veil of illusion binds him. His snowy hair and onyx eyes belie his age. Fair of face and manner, only the beauty of his voice compares. He walks as if on wing, his feet barely touching the earth.
Fairytales and legends he whispers in my ear. Myths of Druid spells, witches and enchanted swans, of stolen children and curses broken by love’s first kiss.
In his arms I lie, breathing him in as his stories fill my dreams. The world falls away, and all that remains a single white feather nestled between my breasts. A son of Lir transformed.
You’ve all been ridiculously patient with me and my sporadic absences. You’re awesome, all of you.
This week I’m reading, Ruling Your World: Ancient Strategies For Modern Life
DEPTH
“A mind that knows its own depth can see the brilliant, elemental magic of the world.”
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You’re back! That’s awesome. I’m from the same kind of town, in, I believe, the same state. I’m a Montgomery girl, myself. Population 838.
seeking elevation recently posted..Safe sleeping
I’m in MA.
Velvet Verbosity recently posted..100 Words – Running Myths
Yup! That’s where I was born!
seeking elevation recently posted..Safe sleeping
Your town sounds like a lovely place to be, and a wonderful place to run. So good to see you back here.
Thank you so much for selecting my little myth, I do appreciate the encouragement.
Tara R. recently posted..Movie night
You’re welcome. Well deserved of course.
youre back!!!!!!!!!!!
Awesome. There’s such depth to your site and you as a person. See what I did there?
I’ll jump on this soon.
Lance recently posted..Ever Fallen In Love With Someone You Shouldn’t’ve
Yeah, I see what you did.
So glad to see the challenge back. I was stalking my reader, always checking for a new post from you
Carrie recently posted..100 Word Challenge: Meetings
Aw. Nice to now I’m missed.
Actually, when I tried to leave a link the Linky Tools wouldn’t come up – not her, and not on my Haiku Friday post either – so i figured there was a problem. Somehow – I never got back here. Bummer.
Lceel, you can always leave a link in comments if that happens. I notice that LinkyTools can be spotty at times. A tad frustrating considering it’s a paid service, but it’s still the best one out there.
I just wanted to say that I enjoyed 100 Words. It was quite a bit of fun, and I enjoyed the challenge. I also needed the practice. I can’t wait to do some more. Thanks!
Hi Daniel, glad you enjoyed it!
I’ve been distracted by Irene which didn’t affect us personally (except all the prep and some flooding in our back yard where our winter wood supply is) but it’s affected areas very nearby as well as my homeland Vermont where I have friends and family. New post and prompt should be up tomorrow.
Another Masshole born and bred here, though I’m currently in exile in New Jersey.
I missed the news of your elegant return, but I may just write one anyway.
Because I can.
http://innocentsaccidentshints.blogspot.com/2011/08/100-word-challenge-fitting-room.html
Michael recently posted..100 Word Challenge: Fitting Room