January 1st, 2019: I just got back from a 10K barefoot and barechested run in the dead of a winter night. First run of the year. It’s 12:34am right now, about 7 degrees outside.
I’m feeling really, really good.
I am firmly convinced that this, right here, is the greatest physical sensation a human can feel.
There is nothing more primal. The sensation of your naked feet striking the ground; your soles gripping the earth. The chilly wind hitting your skin, and yet you feel strangely fine as your body furnace is constantly burning fuel. The crisp air consistently flowing in and out of your lungs, free of any vehicle exhaust fumes. The dead silence at 12am and the only sounds are those of your feet thumping in steady motion. As you get into gear, you feel no sense of exhaustion at all, as if your legs can keep revving forever. You are lost in the moment, one with the earth.
Seriously, if you’re not doing this, you’re missing out on a major part of the human experience. Nothing comes close — not even drugs, mindblowing sex, or the best food ever.