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- Story Listed as: True Life For Adults
- Theme: Inspirational
- Subject: Recreation / Sports / Travel
- Published: 01/23/2022
White Line Runner
By
William Quiett
Born 1941, M, from Orlando, Florida, United States
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WHITE LINE RUNNER
By William F. Quiett
(A morning etched in my memory while preparing for my first marathon).
Fog swirled silently through the valleys and slid easily between the trees and over the meadows of sweet smelling wild flowers and meadow grass. Fall, in the foothills of the Blue Ridge mountains, is magical with its cool nights, clear blue days and a hint that winter is about to commence. As the full moon shines down on the fog, it is reflected in a prism effect, bouncing off light colored objects, illuminating the darker shapes and giving a mystical feeling to everything. The iridescent white lines painted down both sides of the blacktop roads, which weave in and out of the subdivisions so delicately interwoven into the woods and meadows, seem to have a light source of their own as they disappear into the more dense fog or go over a rolling hill top to be lost into the darkness of the night on the other side.
The early morning air, still cool and damp from the October night, gently moves into the bedroom through the window intentionally left open by the residents of the house to take advantage of this beautiful time of year in North Carolina. It moves silently and effortlessly over the two figures lying in the double bed., warmly snuggled under a home-made comforter that had been handed down from previous generations. Because there is a shimmering light in the room, caused by the silver moon beams coming through the window, the darkness is not a deep darkness but a friendly kind of darkness that allows the highlights of the sleeping figures to be discernable, yet soft.
Slowly, as if in a dream, the male figure begins to stir, disturbed from a peaceful sleep by the soft sound of someone talking. The comforter moves slightly and his hand comes out and presses a button on the clock radio setting on the nightstand next to the bed. The voice stops and the man slowly sets up on the side of the bed.
“You're not going to go running while it is still dark are you?”, asks the woman.
“Honey, just go back to sleep and don’t worry about me. Today is a long run and if I am going to get to work on time, I have to start early.”
“You're nuts!” she exclaims as she turns over and pulls the comforter over her face to shield her from the lamp he has turned on.
He quickly pulls on the running shorts he had placed next to the bed, turns off the light and quietly heads to the walk-in closet where he put his running shoes, sweat shirt, socks, cap, and stop watch the night before. He knows she will not go back to sleep and he will hear about her early morning sleep disruption later, but that is later, for now he moves as silently as possible to the kitchen where he turns on the light and finishes dressing, putting on his stop watch and making sure his shoes and socks feel right. After a quick pit stop he grabs a water bottle as he steps out into the cool dark morning.
As he stands at the top of the driveway, stretching and warming up, he sees the white lines on the road in front of his house disappearing into the fog and darkness, and a lonely almost forlorn feeling comes over him. Yeah, maybe he is nuts to get up this early in the morning on a work day to run for a couple of hours. He is in good health and not trying to lose weight or anything like that and he could have stayed in the nice warm bed for another hour or more before he had to get up and face the day. But that is the problem, like most runners, he is the type of person that if he did not follow through on what he had committed to do, or took the easy way out by not sticking to his training schedule, he would have started off this new day feeling guilty and disappointed in himself. This way, he loses a little sleep yet gets to accomplish what he had promised himself he would accomplish and at the same time starting his day off feeling great physically and mentally. Not a bad deal, it’s not even a question of whether he is nuts or not, it is just the right thing to do!
Slowly he starts off in the pre-dawn light down the familiar road that he has run so many times before, automatically locking in on the white line running down the edge of the road. The moon beams reflecting in the fog on the iridescent white line giving them a softer white glow than they have during the daylight. The glowing misty white line disappears into the early morning fog showing the runner the way and giving him something to focus on while keeping his bearing. As he starts on his journey he looks at the dark shapes of houses as he passes them. Shrouded in darkness and fog they materialize in eerie silence. That is one of the beautiful things about running when no one else is out. The silence surrounds you, quietens your soul and lets you hear your body as you run silently through the night. As he runs he starts his mental check list again. 'I can hear my feet striking the road, need to concentrate more on the rolling motion of the heel striking the ground first and the knees acting as shock absorbers, that’s better. Now, watch the breathing, slowly from the bottom of the lungs push the abdomen out, pull it in and push it back out slowly. OK, first mile coming up, just keep it smooth and comfortable, don’t try to push the pace yet, just keep it comfortable right now, relax and enjoy, there is a long way to go before the sun comes up.'
The morning is beautiful as he winds his way along the brightening white line and in the increasing light he can make it out as it stretches out further and further in front of him. Snaking its way along the rolling hills, hidden for brief moments in dips and curves but always coming back into view to comfort and lead the early morning voyager. Like a reliable friend, the white line has always shown him the safest part of the road to be on, providing him with a sense of security while at the same time always going out in front of him, beckoning him to follow and showing him the way.
Slowly, as his body warms up to the motion of running, the muscles start relaxing and the breathing becomes effortless and fully automatic permitting him to continue his mental checklist of functions. “legs warming up, no pain in the knees. Ankles rotating fully allowing the feet to roll smoothly, no sound! Arms swinging naturally with the hands coming up in front just below the chin, hands are relaxed, back is straight, head up, everything is operating as one! The mechanics of the run are slowly replaced with an effortless experience that provides the runner with a feeling of wellness, a utopia of sorts that makes it feel like you are where you should be, doing what you should be doing! As if on auto-pilot, the runner moves from the mechanical to the near spiritual as his mind stops the check list of running and starts to focus on different thoughts that float through his mind in a seemingly endless parade of events and feelings. The problem he was having at work yesterday suddenly becomes clear as to what to say today to resolve the problem so that everyone wins. The kid’s Judo class last night and how proud he was of their efforts to learn discipline and self-confidence. He relives the feeling he has when they look for him in the circle of other participants after a sparing match with someone bigger or more experienced. He feels a sense of pride as he thinks about how hard they work at their sport, always trying to improve, never satisfied to just participate but striving to do their best. Thoughts flow endlessly, removing the discomfort of the miles and the effort required to navigate the hills of the run as he finds comfort and tranquility in his inner-space, alone with his thoughts.
The white line starts down a hill and bends to the right as a familiar landmark comes into view bringing him back to the task at hand, running. 'OK, there is mile five. Time is 42:27, just over eight and a half minute miles. I need to pick it up just a little bit for the next 3 miles. Easy does it, bring the arms up a little higher to increase my speed just a little bit, now concentrate on holding that rhythm!' His feet strike softly and quietly on the ever present white line as it straightens out and runs straight for a short distance and then starts up a large hill that suddenly forms in the morning light. 'Here it comes, Kujo Hill, shorten the stride a little, lean into the hill and maintain the pace. Sure is getting warm now that the sun is peeking above the horizon, should have worn a running tee instead of this sweat shirt, tomorrow will definitely be the tee. Finally, at the top of the hill and able to lean back and stretch out my stride going down hill. Boy, that feels better, sure glad it’s down hill for the next mile, a chance to catch my breath letting gravity pull me forward as the white line disappears beneath my feet. People starting to leave for their drive into the city so I need to be sure they see me as they back out or move to the other side of the road. Yeah, I need to move to the other side and not count on them seeing me! OK, here is mile 8 and it’s 64:57, not bad and I am feeling great, OK to back off some, cool down and enjoy the last two miles.'
Backing off the fought for even pace gives the runner a well needed breather but does not totally revive him as he winds his way back towards his starting point. His breathing becomes more labored and the pain starts to take its toll as he starts the mental battle of an extended effort. 'Home is just a couple of more hills, getting tired and feeling sluggish but I can still finish strong! Got to keep this pace up, now is when training runs pay off, the last mile, push it, don’t slow down, I am almost there! Tired and getting winded but I can do this, only a half of mile to go, I can make it, Damn, I wish this last part was flat instead of up hill! There’s the side road just a block from the house, GO FOR IT. KICK IT! Lungs are burning. My feet feel dead, PUSH IT! Eat that white line up like never before….MADE IT!!!'
The tired but elated runner pushes the button on his stop watch and another run is done, another memory is entrenched and another goal is achieved. Although he is exhausted he keeps his legs moving as he walks around the cul-de-sac in front of his house. His legs feel like rubber and he desperately wants to drop to his knees and gasp for breath, but he knows better. The burning of his lungs will soon pass and he forces himself to keep moving to walk off the lactic acid that has built up in his muscles during the run. He breathes deep and slow, pulling in the sweet morning air deep into his lungs as he mechanically swings his arms in exaggerated sweeps. The early morning sun glistens off rivers of sweat flowing endlessly down his body, soaking his clothes and filling his shoes. The warmth of the sun, coupled with the cooling affects of his sweat, creates a sense of well being that is almost indescribable to those who do not run or push themselves to the limit in other activities. The body, which only moments before had every system at full power, starts recovering from its maximum effort. The heart rate starts slowing down towards its regular rhythm, the cooling system starts shutting off the sweat that had been flooding the skin and the surface capillaries start opening back up to allow the blood flow which was redirected to the lower body and vital organs, to start moving toward the skin again. Right now, as the skin begins to feel flushed and the heavy breathing starts subsiding, the runner is more alive than at any other time! His efforts have caused his body to bring all systems up to full power and then maintain them through the run, now, completely checked out, they are allowed to return to their normal operational mode, fully tested and stronger because of the effort. This experience is one of the awards that athletes discover after giving everything they have, at one time, in their quest to excel. The time when the body and mind come together to push beyond their usual individual performances and come together to operate as one single entity, able to perform far greater feats as a whole, then possible as separate parts. Like steel, which must be heated almost to the melting point and then quenched in cold water to reach its maximum tensile strength, the body and mind must be pushed to new limits if they are to be developed to their maximum potential.
After several minutes of walking and taking long cool drinks from the water bottle he had stashed in the mail box earlier, he checks his watch to assess his efforts. 'Wow, what a run, 81:34, great time for me and at least I am improving with each run. What a beautiful morning, what a great way to start my day! God, I am glad I didn’t stay in bed this morning, I feel like I am 20 years old again instead of 53! Everybody should feel like this in the morning, but then again, if everybody was out here running, it would not be so peaceful, so I guess, I am just one of the lucky ones!'
As he walks back toward the driveway he looks down at the white line, still there but now not quite so magical in the brightness of the new day. He knows that it will be there in the morning, beckoning to lead him on another journey of discovery into the darkness, encouraging him through its steadfast existence, always there, always out in front leading the way. No matter how he feels, no matter what kind of excuses he may think up to excuse him from his commitment, he knows that the white line will be there waiting, encouraging him not to give into temptations of the body, but to yield to the power of the soul and come explore this world of effort that lies silently waiting in the cool morning darkness where all things are being rejuvenated to take on another day!
So starts another day in the life of a white line runner, this one had his challenge before the sun came up, others will run during the day and still others will follow the magic white lines late at night after they have worked a full day. They will be tired out physically and mentally before they start their trek down the roads following the white lines, but when they return from their mental and physical challenge, they will be reborn in body and spirit, glad they put the efforts forth and feeling rejuvenated and aglow with the knowledge that they didn’t take the easy way out but remained loyal to the inner force calling them to test themselves, to push their limitations and to grow mentally, physically, and spiritually from the experience!
--------------
William Quiett, a mid-pack runner for 36 years, resides in beautiful Orlando, Florida, with his wife and 17 year old cat which rules her domain. His running lifestyle has provided exceptional word-wide experiences which he has captured in short stories detailing the challenges and discipline required to participate.
By William F. Quiett
(A morning etched in my memory while preparing for my first marathon).
Fog swirled silently through the valleys and slid easily between the trees and over the meadows of sweet smelling wild flowers and meadow grass. Fall, in the foothills of the Blue Ridge mountains, is magical with its cool nights, clear blue days and a hint that winter is about to commence. As the full moon shines down on the fog, it is reflected in a prism effect, bouncing off light colored objects, illuminating the darker shapes and giving a mystical feeling to everything. The iridescent white lines painted down both sides of the blacktop roads, which weave in and out of the subdivisions so delicately interwoven into the woods and meadows, seem to have a light source of their own as they disappear into the more dense fog or go over a rolling hill top to be lost into the darkness of the night on the other side.
The early morning air, still cool and damp from the October night, gently moves into the bedroom through the window intentionally left open by the residents of the house to take advantage of this beautiful time of year in North Carolina. It moves silently and effortlessly over the two figures lying in the double bed., warmly snuggled under a home-made comforter that had been handed down from previous generations. Because there is a shimmering light in the room, caused by the silver moon beams coming through the window, the darkness is not a deep darkness but a friendly kind of darkness that allows the highlights of the sleeping figures to be discernable, yet soft.
Slowly, as if in a dream, the male figure begins to stir, disturbed from a peaceful sleep by the soft sound of someone talking. The comforter moves slightly and his hand comes out and presses a button on the clock radio setting on the nightstand next to the bed. The voice stops and the man slowly sets up on the side of the bed.
“You're not going to go running while it is still dark are you?”, asks the woman.
“Honey, just go back to sleep and don’t worry about me. Today is a long run and if I am going to get to work on time, I have to start early.”
“You're nuts!” she exclaims as she turns over and pulls the comforter over her face to shield her from the lamp he has turned on.
He quickly pulls on the running shorts he had placed next to the bed, turns off the light and quietly heads to the walk-in closet where he put his running shoes, sweat shirt, socks, cap, and stop watch the night before. He knows she will not go back to sleep and he will hear about her early morning sleep disruption later, but that is later, for now he moves as silently as possible to the kitchen where he turns on the light and finishes dressing, putting on his stop watch and making sure his shoes and socks feel right. After a quick pit stop he grabs a water bottle as he steps out into the cool dark morning.
As he stands at the top of the driveway, stretching and warming up, he sees the white lines on the road in front of his house disappearing into the fog and darkness, and a lonely almost forlorn feeling comes over him. Yeah, maybe he is nuts to get up this early in the morning on a work day to run for a couple of hours. He is in good health and not trying to lose weight or anything like that and he could have stayed in the nice warm bed for another hour or more before he had to get up and face the day. But that is the problem, like most runners, he is the type of person that if he did not follow through on what he had committed to do, or took the easy way out by not sticking to his training schedule, he would have started off this new day feeling guilty and disappointed in himself. This way, he loses a little sleep yet gets to accomplish what he had promised himself he would accomplish and at the same time starting his day off feeling great physically and mentally. Not a bad deal, it’s not even a question of whether he is nuts or not, it is just the right thing to do!
Slowly he starts off in the pre-dawn light down the familiar road that he has run so many times before, automatically locking in on the white line running down the edge of the road. The moon beams reflecting in the fog on the iridescent white line giving them a softer white glow than they have during the daylight. The glowing misty white line disappears into the early morning fog showing the runner the way and giving him something to focus on while keeping his bearing. As he starts on his journey he looks at the dark shapes of houses as he passes them. Shrouded in darkness and fog they materialize in eerie silence. That is one of the beautiful things about running when no one else is out. The silence surrounds you, quietens your soul and lets you hear your body as you run silently through the night. As he runs he starts his mental check list again. 'I can hear my feet striking the road, need to concentrate more on the rolling motion of the heel striking the ground first and the knees acting as shock absorbers, that’s better. Now, watch the breathing, slowly from the bottom of the lungs push the abdomen out, pull it in and push it back out slowly. OK, first mile coming up, just keep it smooth and comfortable, don’t try to push the pace yet, just keep it comfortable right now, relax and enjoy, there is a long way to go before the sun comes up.'
The morning is beautiful as he winds his way along the brightening white line and in the increasing light he can make it out as it stretches out further and further in front of him. Snaking its way along the rolling hills, hidden for brief moments in dips and curves but always coming back into view to comfort and lead the early morning voyager. Like a reliable friend, the white line has always shown him the safest part of the road to be on, providing him with a sense of security while at the same time always going out in front of him, beckoning him to follow and showing him the way.
Slowly, as his body warms up to the motion of running, the muscles start relaxing and the breathing becomes effortless and fully automatic permitting him to continue his mental checklist of functions. “legs warming up, no pain in the knees. Ankles rotating fully allowing the feet to roll smoothly, no sound! Arms swinging naturally with the hands coming up in front just below the chin, hands are relaxed, back is straight, head up, everything is operating as one! The mechanics of the run are slowly replaced with an effortless experience that provides the runner with a feeling of wellness, a utopia of sorts that makes it feel like you are where you should be, doing what you should be doing! As if on auto-pilot, the runner moves from the mechanical to the near spiritual as his mind stops the check list of running and starts to focus on different thoughts that float through his mind in a seemingly endless parade of events and feelings. The problem he was having at work yesterday suddenly becomes clear as to what to say today to resolve the problem so that everyone wins. The kid’s Judo class last night and how proud he was of their efforts to learn discipline and self-confidence. He relives the feeling he has when they look for him in the circle of other participants after a sparing match with someone bigger or more experienced. He feels a sense of pride as he thinks about how hard they work at their sport, always trying to improve, never satisfied to just participate but striving to do their best. Thoughts flow endlessly, removing the discomfort of the miles and the effort required to navigate the hills of the run as he finds comfort and tranquility in his inner-space, alone with his thoughts.
The white line starts down a hill and bends to the right as a familiar landmark comes into view bringing him back to the task at hand, running. 'OK, there is mile five. Time is 42:27, just over eight and a half minute miles. I need to pick it up just a little bit for the next 3 miles. Easy does it, bring the arms up a little higher to increase my speed just a little bit, now concentrate on holding that rhythm!' His feet strike softly and quietly on the ever present white line as it straightens out and runs straight for a short distance and then starts up a large hill that suddenly forms in the morning light. 'Here it comes, Kujo Hill, shorten the stride a little, lean into the hill and maintain the pace. Sure is getting warm now that the sun is peeking above the horizon, should have worn a running tee instead of this sweat shirt, tomorrow will definitely be the tee. Finally, at the top of the hill and able to lean back and stretch out my stride going down hill. Boy, that feels better, sure glad it’s down hill for the next mile, a chance to catch my breath letting gravity pull me forward as the white line disappears beneath my feet. People starting to leave for their drive into the city so I need to be sure they see me as they back out or move to the other side of the road. Yeah, I need to move to the other side and not count on them seeing me! OK, here is mile 8 and it’s 64:57, not bad and I am feeling great, OK to back off some, cool down and enjoy the last two miles.'
Backing off the fought for even pace gives the runner a well needed breather but does not totally revive him as he winds his way back towards his starting point. His breathing becomes more labored and the pain starts to take its toll as he starts the mental battle of an extended effort. 'Home is just a couple of more hills, getting tired and feeling sluggish but I can still finish strong! Got to keep this pace up, now is when training runs pay off, the last mile, push it, don’t slow down, I am almost there! Tired and getting winded but I can do this, only a half of mile to go, I can make it, Damn, I wish this last part was flat instead of up hill! There’s the side road just a block from the house, GO FOR IT. KICK IT! Lungs are burning. My feet feel dead, PUSH IT! Eat that white line up like never before….MADE IT!!!'
The tired but elated runner pushes the button on his stop watch and another run is done, another memory is entrenched and another goal is achieved. Although he is exhausted he keeps his legs moving as he walks around the cul-de-sac in front of his house. His legs feel like rubber and he desperately wants to drop to his knees and gasp for breath, but he knows better. The burning of his lungs will soon pass and he forces himself to keep moving to walk off the lactic acid that has built up in his muscles during the run. He breathes deep and slow, pulling in the sweet morning air deep into his lungs as he mechanically swings his arms in exaggerated sweeps. The early morning sun glistens off rivers of sweat flowing endlessly down his body, soaking his clothes and filling his shoes. The warmth of the sun, coupled with the cooling affects of his sweat, creates a sense of well being that is almost indescribable to those who do not run or push themselves to the limit in other activities. The body, which only moments before had every system at full power, starts recovering from its maximum effort. The heart rate starts slowing down towards its regular rhythm, the cooling system starts shutting off the sweat that had been flooding the skin and the surface capillaries start opening back up to allow the blood flow which was redirected to the lower body and vital organs, to start moving toward the skin again. Right now, as the skin begins to feel flushed and the heavy breathing starts subsiding, the runner is more alive than at any other time! His efforts have caused his body to bring all systems up to full power and then maintain them through the run, now, completely checked out, they are allowed to return to their normal operational mode, fully tested and stronger because of the effort. This experience is one of the awards that athletes discover after giving everything they have, at one time, in their quest to excel. The time when the body and mind come together to push beyond their usual individual performances and come together to operate as one single entity, able to perform far greater feats as a whole, then possible as separate parts. Like steel, which must be heated almost to the melting point and then quenched in cold water to reach its maximum tensile strength, the body and mind must be pushed to new limits if they are to be developed to their maximum potential.
After several minutes of walking and taking long cool drinks from the water bottle he had stashed in the mail box earlier, he checks his watch to assess his efforts. 'Wow, what a run, 81:34, great time for me and at least I am improving with each run. What a beautiful morning, what a great way to start my day! God, I am glad I didn’t stay in bed this morning, I feel like I am 20 years old again instead of 53! Everybody should feel like this in the morning, but then again, if everybody was out here running, it would not be so peaceful, so I guess, I am just one of the lucky ones!'
As he walks back toward the driveway he looks down at the white line, still there but now not quite so magical in the brightness of the new day. He knows that it will be there in the morning, beckoning to lead him on another journey of discovery into the darkness, encouraging him through its steadfast existence, always there, always out in front leading the way. No matter how he feels, no matter what kind of excuses he may think up to excuse him from his commitment, he knows that the white line will be there waiting, encouraging him not to give into temptations of the body, but to yield to the power of the soul and come explore this world of effort that lies silently waiting in the cool morning darkness where all things are being rejuvenated to take on another day!
So starts another day in the life of a white line runner, this one had his challenge before the sun came up, others will run during the day and still others will follow the magic white lines late at night after they have worked a full day. They will be tired out physically and mentally before they start their trek down the roads following the white lines, but when they return from their mental and physical challenge, they will be reborn in body and spirit, glad they put the efforts forth and feeling rejuvenated and aglow with the knowledge that they didn’t take the easy way out but remained loyal to the inner force calling them to test themselves, to push their limitations and to grow mentally, physically, and spiritually from the experience!
--------------
William Quiett, a mid-pack runner for 36 years, resides in beautiful Orlando, Florida, with his wife and 17 year old cat which rules her domain. His running lifestyle has provided exceptional word-wide experiences which he has captured in short stories detailing the challenges and discipline required to participate.
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Shirley Smothers
01/27/2022
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