Running in the Rain.

I used to LOVE running in the rain. Sprinkle, thunderstorm, whatever. It was something different, it cooled me off, it motivated me to speed up a little. It broke the routine that I am so used to.

I was out running in the rain in college on a day just like this when a huge storm kicked up. It didn't look like it would be much, but I got about a mile from ADPi and looked up to the sky to a boiling, black, angry mass. The lightning really kicked up in a hurry and I turned around the head home. It poured on me like I had never had in my life. The lightening seemed to be about 5 seconds apart and felt about 50 feet from my head. It really was scary for a little while because it escalated so quickly and there was no where to go to get away from it. I knew better than to stand under the trees, but I also didn't want to stand out exposed as that felt even less safe. I finally made it home and said a quick prayer of Thank You and went about my day of preparation for recruitment activities with all of my friends.

Only later that day did we hear that the new football coach's wife (Phil Bennett)had been out running in that same storm across town and had been struck by lightning. She had died. I had never really thought of the danger before. It hadn't ever crossed my mind as I headed out into the drops, unafraid of the thunder.

A cloudy day still puts a spring in my step, but I don't run in the rain anymore.