Footsteps

There are certain sounds that really touch the hearts of sports fans…the crack of a bat when it makes perfect contact with a ball, the whirring of wheels in a cycling peloton, the crash of pads in football.

But one of my all time favorites is the sound of footsteps on a track.   Now, I love running on trails, but having been a runner in high school, there is something about running on that oval makes the sound near and dear to my heart.  This morning was a track workout – 800m repeats.  It was chillier than normal and a bit overcast at 6:15.  I was the only girl doing 800 repeats and most of the guys in my group are much faster than I am, so I was running solo for the majority of the workout.  But as the guys pulled away and I settled into my rhythm, I hit a section of the track that was quiet for just long enough to really hear my feet hitting the track.  As I listened to the tap, tap, tap on the ground, a wave of happiness washed over me and made me truly appreciate that sound.

Normally I get to run with another speedy lady at Tuesday track.  Our pace is very similar, and once we start our workouts, we fall into the same cadence.  Like the whirring of bike wheels in a peloton, hearing my footsteps in stereo is such a cool feeling.  Oddly, it has both a calming and a motivating effect on me.  When running and swimming, I find myself counting my steps or my strokes involuntarily.  I guess finding a rhythm just puts me at ease, even if I’m pushing myself and putting in a hard effort.  When my footsteps are multiplied with the help of running companions, I get especially motivated to maintain my pace in order to keep our cadence in sync.  

I can always count out my steps, and feel my feet hitting the ground, but often times the track is busy with other runners, walkers, boot campers, or my mind wanders during the run.  But when I have those moments of quiet to fully absorb the sounds of my run, I fall in love with the sport all over again!