The Journey – 528.0 Miles, Peach Springs, Arizona:
I continued down the road with no name until it rejoined Buck and Doe Road.
This part of the A2B Route entered the Hualapai Indian Reservation. The Hualapai tribe of Native Americans lives in the mountains of northwestern Arizona. The reservation covers about 1,142 square miles. It was created by an Executive Order of President Chester A. Arthur on January 4, 1883. (Chester A. Arthur became the 21st President of the United States (1881–85 after the assassination of President James A. Garfield.)
At the end of today’s leg, I found myself in front of the Grand Canyon West Airport and Heliport, situated just about 3.5 miles from the famous Grand Canyon Skywalk!
The Run:
Because of inclement weather, I had to skip the morning run. I was disappointed because I have an aggressive weekly goal that I want to reach. As conditions improved throughout the day, a window of opportunity opened for an evening run.
The downside of an evening run in February is that the sun sets early still. An evening run means running in the dark. This requires a few extra steps in preparation. For example, I chose a route that is nearly all sidewalks and is relatively well-lit. I also dressed in reflective running gear so I can give drivers every chance to see me.
Reflective running gear is absolutely essential for early morning runs or night runs. There is a huge difference between a lite colored t-shirt and good reflective clothing. Check out the video below to see the difference. (Turn down the volume on your speakers, unless you really like techno-pop.)
General safety gear, such as reflective vests and safety strobes can be found at your local running stores or sporting goods stores. However, for something more fun,unique, and creative, check out websites like http://www.iondesigns.ca and RUseeN.com.
Intersections also require extra caution, even in well-lit areas with traffic lights. Experience has taught me that when running through an intersection, it is safest to make eye contact with the drivers there. It is the best way to make sure that they see you. (See Leg 19 – The Eye Contact Rule.) Because of the darkness, it is difficult to make the necessary eye contact. So several times tonight, I just waited for the intersection to clear before continuing.
Thank goodness there were a few long stretches of sidewalk where I could just run.
Even though it took a little longer than normal, I was very happy to get my run in!!
The Mind:
While stretching, I read Facebook messages from a couple of friends. In each message, my friends mentioned that I had appeared in recent dreams. I thought it odd that, at the same time, two completely unrelated people would have dreams significant enough to tell me about it.
It made me wonder, as I ran, about dreams and the impact they have on lives.
I dream frequently! I always have! My dreams are usually big and vivid! Often my dream experiences get imprinted on my mind with exquisite detail. (Frequently, my dreams will stick with me for days. There is so much to absorb!) It is not unusual for them to be full sensory. The sounds, smells, tastes, textures, and feelings often linger as I’m waking up.
Some of my earliest memories are of dreams. I remember one time as very little boy, I dreamed in black and white. I clearly remember a Ginger Rogers type dancer in a long white sequined dress. I was talking and sometimes dancing with her while she danced around a ballroom. I remember both of us laughing a lot.
My dreams are mostly random. There is almost always a different scene, a different story, a different pattern. They seem to shun consistency. Sometimes they flow like stories, with a plot, a beginning, and an ending. For example, I once dreamed that Santa Claus wanted to go on sabbatical, so he hired a CEO to run the North Pole in his absence. (I was laughing so hard as I woke up with that one.) A few times, they have had recurring gags all the way through. Sometimes they are simply a series of vignettes following some arbitrary theme.
In a few instances, my dreams repeated themselves. There is one heavy hearted dream that has chased me throughout my childhood, adolescence, and into my adult life.
A few years ago, there was a week where each night I dreamed a completely different dream but with nearly identical endings. In each ending, I was completely alone awaiting some hugely tragic, soon-to-occur event. In each case, I found myself repeating over and over again the phrase, “Breathe! Relax! See it through!” The last of that series is hard for me to think and write about.
Like a lot of people, several dreams have filled some very specific needs. For example, there was a time in 1985 when a dream became the perfect source of solace in a time of mourning. Other times it has been more practical. One instance that comes to mind is when, after months of exhausting research and work, the solution to a complex business problem came in a night vision.
The best dreams have been where I witness the realization of one of my deepest desires or goals. I have seen myself in some of the most amazing moments of triumph, satisfaction, and pure fun. In each one, there is the most wonderful music. Best of all, the people I love most are always with me, my children, my family, and a few others.
Over time, the things I have experienced in dreams are nothing short of mind blowing! No author, artist, composer, poet, film-maker, or any other kind of story teller will ever compare.
Towards the end of my run, I wondered what it is about some dreams that make them stick with us. I thought about the times when a dream has caused a person to act. Throughout history, dreams have quietly changed countless lives, entertained and inspired billions, and sometimes moved nations. What powerful things these are!
I think dreams are a brilliant manifestation of the amazing power of the sub-conscious mind combined with desire and thought. Either way what a remarkable gift!
What about you? Have dreams affected your life?!!! Or perhaps you have a thought about night running. Regardless, please share at:
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/A2BRun
Twitter: https://twitter.com/RunA2B
Email: a2b@sub4minds.com
Or in the comments section below.