Steady rain bombarded my bare torso circling the 5k Prospect Park loop on this October 2, 2012. Pedestrian conditions preceded the striking downpour to come after the first kilometer. My feet, wrapped in Vibram branded toe socks with thin soles, repeatedly struck pavement, puddles, leaves, twigs, nuts, nature. An empty stomach, without enough sleep, enduring a mild abdominal cramp, all good reasons to shut it down; and yet, we find the strength to pummel all comers on the uphill, and the speed to leave late threats behind on the downhill.

Strength and speed fade with time, what survives, if anything, will be the resolve we nurture now. Running against the rain, proven by the steam rising from our pores as we stand tall thereafter, the elements cry out exhausted, until we meet again.