Raych’s Running Diaries: Secret Follower

Am up dark and early to pound the road. I am not sure am up for a fast run but i follow anyhow. My warm up is slow very slow and am really trying to awaken my faculties in vain. I feel a surge of sadness as my legs refuse to lift but the luminous jackets ahead of me remind me of the cause ahead – chase the air to the ends of the earth. Kms later i look at my watch and it’s 6kms i feel good… am moving …the legs have risen to do what they should be doing…but hold on i got too excited am 1km away from finish and i feel “finished” my legs are feeling heavy (i kick a few pebbles and i miss a fall…bad sign) , i want to stop. The reasons to stop are many and convincing…, its raining , its a Monday i mean i have 6 more days to catch up, i pushed hard on saturday, am expecting a v.i.p midweek so energy reserves must be high and the best…am not a pro… its not that serious furthermore i don’t expect to ever make a dime from chasing air…leave that to real machines…the reasons are compelling…and in the nick i hear a loud stern warning play in my mind…dare you stop….you’re in great form chick..come on! you had so much self love and indulging this weekend….it’s got to count….the last km….you’ve come this far..you should have stopped during the warm up. No options there I need to tackle this km…Dawn has broken and the street is now busy i need motivation for this km…aha…i will tackle it a pedestrian at a time….and off i start…the gentleman in a heavy red jacket and a backpack he looks in a hurry probably from night duty..he has a stooped walk..maybe from days of carrying the heavy backpack.. slowly i lap him, i spot a lass in blue skinny jeans, a pink checked shirt and brown boots….chick is head high…she looks like she will change the world today. I move my legs towards her, her peacock hair do towering to compliment her height…i can smell her sweet perfume…mmm..nice one sister love your handbag..bet you got a date later…looking too sharp on a monday…moving on…this is exciting…then the garbage truck pulls over for trush pick up and this dude jumps out with so much energy whistling….”siste hapo sasa” i.e Sister right there…and i smile…a surge of energy to the finish point…am a few metres away and as i take the corner i see a sister jogging…she’s probably just started off her warm up, a bottle of water on each of her hands…earphones in place..must be something from wasafi records playing because she has half a smile…that should give her some energy if she doesnt stop to ” Inama” …a thumbs up and ‘strong’ wave and i move on….click 10th km done! My best speed through all the laps on this run….amazing how we can make the best of what is around us to surge us forward. To my “pedestrian targets” ..be blessed…see you again same time same place….! Yours secret follower..i must warn you …am a hazard …keep your glasses on (by the way remember the luminous jacket wearers? two had their glasses on ….the one without zoomed off wanting to be as far from me as possible..🤨)..watch out for flying objects ..yes am still kicking pebbles…on a good day bottle tops…there is a night club along my running route…no pebbles there…#Runfitclub