Running. With Better Than…

It’s Saturday. 5:30 am.  45F. Drizzling.

Zeke is up early.  Which means his keeper (Susan) is too.  She’s at the kitchen table sipping coffee and reading The Times.  He’s looking up at her, being cute, sitting like Royalty, waiting for a hand-out.  It’s Banana today.  Dog loves bananas.  Who knew?

He watches me warily.  It has become the weekend routine.  He sits between his Mom’s legs.  Growls at me. Signaling, No way in H*ll I’m going out with you. No Way.  Fur is up at the back of his neck.  I approach. “Let’s go Bud. Let’s go for a run.”  He shows me his teeth…and emits a low raspy growl. And then another. Yep.  Pure bred running dog.  This is what it’s come to.

On with the gear.  Accessories first. Garmin GPS.  iPod. Ear Phones. Water bottle into black waist pouch. Then on with the suit.  Black running pants. Black rain slicker.  Black Baseball cap (not water proof). Red and Black Brooks running shoes.  Batman is ready.  The Dark Knight Rides.  He’s off.

Mile One.  It’s drizzling.  But manageable.  Light rain and mist.  Feels refreshing on the skin.  Miles.  I’m going to do Miles today.

Friday Night’s post comes to mind.  His music still coursing through me.  I downloaded John Butler’s Tin Shed Tales - – a collection of live music from his solo/acoustic tour of Australia in 2012.

John Butler opens with a monologue:  ”It’s a song about mental illness.  A feel good #. (Crowd laughs)  I call it ‘the grass is greener’ syndrome.  It’s never enough.  Ever.  It gets old.  It’s boring.  It’s scary.  It’s scary to wish for things.  To hope for things.  To pray for things. And then to get things…But it’s not that, is it?  It just one more thing.  And another. And another.  And it keeps on going and going and going….We are lucky.  So fortunate…Maybe with all of this abundance we have, I’d be content with the most simple things, our friends, our family, our health.“

↓ click for audio (John Butler – “Better Than”)

The song opens with banjo. Then with hands clapping.  Then with the boom boom boom of the base drum.  Then the harmonica comes in.  I’m hooked.  And now fully alert.

All you want is
What you can’t have
And if you just look around man
You see you got magic
So just sit back relax
Enjoy it while you still have it
Don’t look back on life man and only see tragic
Because you could be better than that
Don’t let it get the better of you
What could be better than now
Life’s not about what’s better than… 

The man is speaking to me.  To me.

There are those moments in your life…so Sharp.  So Vivid.  So technicolor.  So alive.

When you feel your chest fill…fill with gratitude.

This moment. Right now.

Up Pear Tree Point Road.

The Heavens open.  Rain comes down.  Big rain.

Shoes splashing.

Dark Knight removes his hat.

I close my eyes.  And look up.  And feel.  Feel the cool rain.  A cleansing wash.  Body tingling.

Pick ‘em up. Put them down. Pick ‘em.  Put them down.  Faster.  Faster.  Faster.

What could be better than now
Life’s not about what’s better than
You can be better than that

Time Check: 11 miles flat.  1 hour and 50 minutes.

Better than my best distance this year.

Nap Time.

“Better Than”
John Butler

Credits: John Butler photograph by Rene Huemer @ legends.ca. “Better Than” Lyrics: azlyrics.com.  And of course, the highly recommended Album by John Butler: Tin Shed Tales

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