Preparations started the night before. Running jacket, shoes, pants, shirt, socks, hat, watch, ear buds – all placed near the front door to minimize obstructions and maximize propulsion, Out-The-Door.
4:30 am. I trudge down the stairs. I step out the door, barefooted, in shorts and a short sleeved white tee-shirt. A soft wind carries the smell of a black and white, a skunk, pre-dawn smelling salts. I inhale to clear the lungs, 39° F bites.
The Tiger clutches the cymbals with both hands, opening his arms wide and slams. The noise, ear-splitting. He repeats and repeats. Crashing. Slamming. Piling on.
Stay at it. Slow it down. Breathe. Quiet the Mind. Chant.
“Tame-the-Ti-ger.”
“Tame-the-Ti-ger.”
“Tame-the-Ti-ger.”
“Tame-the-Ti-ger.”
Tiger separates from the body and ebbs higher, higher, and higher until reaching a crest. Salt kicks up in the mist where I stand, separate, still. The ebb makes its last gasp, the fight now gone, sighs and then releases.
“Tame-the-Ti-ger.”
“Tame-the-Ti-ger.”
The flow drowns out the maelstrom with a white foam of good feeling, sizzling on the shoreline for seconds.
Seconds.
The bone ache returns, both knees.
The right shoulder throbs.
The concrete is cool on the toes, the skin tingles, I’m shivering from the torso up.
Seconds. But Enough, for now.
I step back into the house, I kick my shoes out of the door way. I watch them tumble and come to rest against the wall.
Later.
Time Check: 0 miles. 2 minutes.
Nap Time.
Notes:
- Inspired by: “One minute was enough, Tyler said, a person had to work hard for it, but a minute of perfection was worth the effort. A moment was the most you could ever expect from perfection. You wake up, and that’s enough.” ― Chuck Palahniuk, Fight Club
- Photograph / gif: Your Eyes Blaze Out
- Related Posts: Running Series
Live & Learn 
A minute of perfection. Interesting.
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Thanks Van. I was…
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I think I would have gone back to bed too at that time and in that temperature.
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And I did exactly that…
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4:30!!! I guess so!
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😳
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“Stay at it. Slow it down. Breathe. Quiet the Mind. Chant.”
That’s a good mantra. All that is needed.
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Yes, now to execute…. 🙂
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You can’t say you don’t try Mr K! The journey always begins with a step or a run for a few seconds ha! ❤️❤️
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Smiling. We do stay after it Karen. As Lombardi used to say, 5 yards in a cloud of dust. 🙂
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Chuckle, chuckle…
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39 degrees????? Later is right–MUCH later!
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Exactamundo!
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OMG Like…not like O David try to be perfectly imperfect , stay in bed!
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Truth! It felt so great! Thank you Mimi!
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try again in one month. go back to bed.
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Will do.
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I’m wondering about that Tiger. Can’t remember hearing about it before. Has it shown up in different forms, different names?
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Tiger is always there, morphing in all kinds of forms. Yes.
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You did it! Perfect. Writing.
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Smiling. Thanks Helen
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Lol…all that for 0 miles??? You should be a comedian. You’re already a great writer.
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Exactly! Exhausted just re-reading it! Thanks Carol.
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