Ode to the Sunrise

After running to Eisenerzer Reichenstein and Gösseck, I am struggling to get motivated about new running plans. One of the signs of this problem is that I started to make plans on how I will improve myself in my side sport, climbing/bouldering. These thoughts in my head are indication of a lack of motivation for running. Nothing about running made my heart beat fast during these last weeks. 

On Monday 24th of August I was having these thoughts in my head. I was also thinking about this upcoming race on 12th of September: Stanzer Trail Run. A 47 km trail running race, with 1900 m of elevation gain. A race that I also participated last year, finished as second in my age group. I told the organizers that I will definitely run there next year too.

So as a "preparation" for this run, I had to do a long slow run, which would simulate the conditions, in around 30% less volume than the actual race. This formula is very famous between road marathon runners: as a final preparation step, they run a 30 km run. 

At least I had a reason to do a long run again. 

I thought about doing it on the next day, Tuesday (August 25), which I had off from the work. The weather was going to be sunny. Not the best conditions to cheer me up for a long run.

It can sound really weird, but normally extreme conditions bring my motivation higher, they psych me up. I need bad weather, and/or weird time of the day etc. to think that I actually am going to achieve something important. During winter under snow/rain I do a lot of hard training, and I actually enjoy them a lot.

What could be the most extreme condition on a nice late summer day? I know the answer. I was going to do this long run really early in the morning. Actually so early that I was going to need a headlamp.

This idea came to my mind when I was reading an article in a magazine about the charm of running in the complete darkness in the night.

I checked the sunrise time. 6:10 am. So if I start my run at 4:30, then I would enjoy a fair amount of darkness on the trails.

I actually have a long history with the early mornings before sunrise..

Since my childhood I always had an obsession with the night, and especially with the hours right before sunrise. I have always loved those magical moments, where the nature wakes up, where hope comes back again. Time for new surprises, encounters, laughs. I never forget that night in my childhood when I told my parents that I want to stay awake the whole night, until sunrise. They let me do it. But I could not make it until sunrise. I waited for some hours, watched TV (there was a political discussion about Iran, I remember it very clearly), and then gave up and went to sleep. 

When I wake up earlier than my normal routine to do something special (running on a race, catching a train/flight, expecting a guest), it makes my whole day. I have a nice feeling about it, and sometimes it lasts for a long time.

I had three unforgettable running experiences in the night. On one of them we started at 12 am, and finished at 4:30 am. I wrote a blog post about it (in Turkish).

Long story short, I like nights and those hours before sunrise.

So on Monday night I prepared all the necessary gear and went to sleep, excited like I was that kid again. And the next day at 4:20 am I was already lacing up my running shoes. Finally I was out there, doing the thing that I like the most, in the darkness, while observing the transition from darkness to light. I did not know how to make the time flow slower. I did not know how to enjoy darkness longer. Excited like a kid.

Flowing inside the darkness, seeing only some meters in front of me with the light of my headlamp.. Like dancing alone to my favorite song, while everyone is asleep. Beautiful.

Or maybe some animals were wide awake and watching me dance while running up and down between the trees.