Yep . . . you read right. While scientists and folks far smarter than me have spent time, resources, and energy trying to defy time, I have figured out how to travel right back to Memorial Day of 2009, a boat on Blue Mesa with my grandparents, a Matt Nathanson concert in Boulder circa 2008, and a grueling spin class at Miramont Fitness in Fort Collins on a Monday night at 6:00pm over three years ago. How you ask?
BECAUSE I RUN!
And not only because I run, but because I train, fundraise and ask friends and family to donate to causes I find worthy. While on a run last week, I played the playlist from a race I did last May. This was the first time I had asked for songs contributions. A year later, the songs that played brought back incredibly vivid memories of the people that suggested said songs, as well as memories of songs themselves.
*Memorial Day 2009 - Katy Perry and Snoop Dog, "California Girls": Bolder Boulder 2009, last leg of the race, new Nike shorts on, i-pod mark sweated into my spray tan, my first race alone, a mix of emotions about being a runner, being on my own, no one at the finish line, a time in my life where I finally found my independence but didn't realize it because I was so angry at so many people for "leaving me". I can hear the rumble of fans at Folsom Field greeting runners as they entered to finish the end of the race around the track. I round a corner headed toward the fans to face a HUGE hill. Steep. I am tired. I want to be done. I am angry. I am proud. I own that hill. I weave in and out of sweaty runners. I top the hill. I head into the stadium. Finish the race. Set a PR. One of my proudest moments. Thanks, Snoop.
*Blue Mesa, August 2010 - Credence Clearwater Revival, "Proud Mary": A beautiful driving day headed to Gunnison, spitting sunflower seeds out my window headed to see two of my favorite people in the world: O'pa and O'ma. My first trip to their new home. Dessert with new neighbors. Fishing, yet no fish. Storms "rollin, rollin, rollin on the river". Captain O'pa beating the storm to shore. Ebelskivers for breakfast. Crockpot cooking all day. Memories coming to life down Pleasant Street in Canton, MA two years later.
*Matt Nathanson Concert, Circa 2008, "Faster": Grad school sucked, but Aly Wallberg was a God send in that dark time. So was her love for Matt Nathanson. Now it's my love too. Man that guy is wonderful. A sore throat. A lost voice. An amazing time. A friend for life. "You make my heart beat faster!"
*A grueling spin class (my first EVER!), circa 2008 - Rihanna, "Pon de Replay": "It goes 1 by 1 even 2 by 2/everybody on the floor let me show you how we do. . . ." Ms. Gael singing along while pedaling to the beat. Me in the corner. Thighs literally on fire. Gael keeping me going. " I can't" running through my head. But I can! "Turn the music up!"
A walk down memory lane. Reconnecting with faces and friends who I don't see often, but think of frequently. Scientists should get out of the lab, and get on the streets. There they will find the secret to traveling back in time. It is quite easy!
