In running circles, there is a t-shirt that I often see that says "In my dreams, I'm a Kenyan" . . . for the obvious reason that Kenyans seem to be among the speediest folk on the planet. For this reason alone, I know without a doubt that I'm most definitely NOT a Kenyan.
Yesterday, as I was running, however, one additional reason occurred to me: $$$$. As my feet pounded the pavement, I was mentally calculating the cost of the outfit and all the running paraphernalia I had on my body. It came to at least $300, not including the iPhone strapped to my arm, and the Apple headphones plugged into my ears.
That outrageous amount is not intended to brag about how rich I am, because I'm surely not (I teach preschool after all . . . ), but simply to give a picture about how fancy, high-tech, and yes -- expensive, running has become as a sport. Granted, a Kenyan probably wouldn't need a Brooks running jacket to combat 35-degree weather, and if he/she were running in Kenya, their Nike+ GPS app on their iPhone would probably fail big-time for lack of a wi-fi signal, but still.
Believe me, I do appreciate the advances that have been made in running gear, especially at this cold time of year. But my goal from now on is to -- mentally -- keep my priorities and motiviations simple, focused, and as Kenyan-like as I possibly can.
Oh, and by the way . . . MERRY CHRISTMAS!
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