The Morning Runner's Secret

Early morning runners share a secret. It is a secret that we want to share with others, hoping that they will enjoy the knowledge of it as much as we do. It is the secret of the dawn. The atmosphere of a pre-dawn morning while running (or walking, for that matter) is almost indescribable. There is a quiet that is leftover from the night, but that is punctuated by the initial stirrings that morning brings. This can be as subtle as leaves blowing down the street, which maybe in the middle of the day would not sound as pronounced, to the harsh squeak of the garbage truck brakes, trash cans thrown around, and engine throttle to get as fast as possible to the next house. Maybe those who are driving to work (or home from the night shift) experience this a little bit. But I would argue that unless you are out in it, not surrounded by a vehicle, not in a cocoon of music from your headphones, you just don't experience all that the pre-dawn has to offer. Additionally, there is a feeling. Maybe it's a feeling of change, of awakening, of fear of the dark or shadows, but a feeling that is unique to this time of the day. And then things begin to change again. The imperceptible shift of dark to light as the sun begins to rise. You don't even notice that the shadows begin to disappear, that you can begin to see color, and if you're lucky enough to be facing east, you see the sky as it begins to lighten. This is the secret that morning runners share, and we want to share it with you. Try it. You'll see what I mean.