Snow Run & Running Dream

I know these last couple posts are about my running more than the Orelove family, but it is just what is on my mind as of late.  The family stayed-in today as the first real snow of the winter season flurried outside.  I took what may be the last opportunity to run outside on pavement without worrying about slipping or injury.  The run was simple, with no music or headphones.  Just the snow falling all around, and the sound of flakes hitting the sidewalk.  The wind was picking-up, and reminded me to look for my long running pants soon!  As I ran, I thought back to a dream I had last night...also about running:

I was in a small town and signed-up to run the marathon there.  From the beginning, I was very stressed because I had mistakenly thought the run was on tomorrow, but it was actually TODAY!  My main objective in this dream was to find-out where to pick-up my running bib and information.  I was literally running around this small, imaginary town looking for the packet pick-up.  Besides being off by a day, I didn't know the name of the town I was in.  Every time I asked someone the name of the town, I didn't understand them and they just looked at me in confusion.  I must have asked ten different people the name of the town so I could put the information into my phone and find the race information, but I couldn't hear anyone and was completely lost.  The dream ended with me watching the marathon runners pass me by.  I was running against the rest of the race, like a salmon upstream, desperately trying to find my race information so I could join the run.

I don't know what this dream means.  I have been looking for a new goal or event to train for over the winter season, so maybe this is telling me that I feel lost at the moment and don't know where I am at the moment or what direction I want to move?  Maybe these dreams are more symbolic of larger life issues:   Where are we headed as a family?  How do I define myself as a person?

Or maybe I just need to exercise more.  I don't know.  No matter what, today was a nice run out there again by myself in the elements, running for the sake of running, rather than training for a race.  Sometimes completing something for its on sake is a reward in itself and should not be explored too deeply.

-a