Running, Exams, and Taking a Spill

Last weekend was the worst. I slept 4 hours in three days and basically studied for my thermodynamics in igneous petrology exam the whole time. I did a few experiments as well which means heading to my lab at 2 in the morning to pour out melted rocks etc. So suffice it to say I didn't run for three days. I took the exam and I didn't do as well as I liked which brings me to my thoughts while running today.

I was cruising on the trails and was still a bit tired from the weekend cram session. The blood began pumping and I began to settle into my running groove. At that point in my run I began to think about the exam I took the previous day. Suddenly each and every question become clear and the answers came flooding into my mind. Unfortunately many of the answers that came to me while running were not the ones I put down on the exam. So my epiphany was that I need to devise a way to take exams while running. I think I would do much better on any exam if I could take it while running. The blood is flowing, the scenery is inspiring and the stress is not there (perhaps I could just dictate the answers and process for coming up with them into a digital recorder and send it to the prof). Another interesting point is that the answers didn't come to me in the time after the exam and waited to become apparent until I ran today. Even though I had been out of the exam for 24 hours the answers still weren't there until tonights run. Perhaps for the final I will go for a two hour run before the exam rather than flip through my notes for the hundredth time. I think I will do that and do better for the final.

My run tonight wasn't the best to be honest. The stress from the exam, (bad diet from sneaking some comfort food to keep me company during the sleepless nights including root beer) and my sleep schedule is still a bit wacky, which may be the main reason tonight's run lacked a bounce in my step. I was almost three minutes slower on my 7 mile run than Thursday's run of the same course. I was cruising down a fast section of trail when I stubbed the right toe on a root and it was so unexpected that I ate it hard. Luckily I had on mountain bike gloves because I landed on my palms hard. Next I rolled hard onto my left arm which would have destroyed my i-pod had I wore it today. I barrel rolled several more times before my momentum ran out and I made it to my feet. Instantly my lazy brain tried to get me to just head back to the car and call it a day. I fought the urge to quit and made my final summit and descent. I am glad I finished instead of let the fall beat me psychologically. I don't fall often but when I do they are always bad, unexpected, and abrupt. I know where that root is now and will never forget it.

I had the Bonus Track "Imperial" from Rupesh Cartel's new album "Anchor Baby" in my head. Rupesh is a synth group from Stockholm and have been one of my favorites from the genre since 2005. Perhaps because I am Swedish I tend to gravitate toward groups from Sweden like The Knife, Rupesh, Code 64, Elegant Machinery, Michigan and many more. I wonder if there is something in my genetic code that predisposed me to like Swedish Electronic music, probably not. The song is good and was in my mind when I wasn't obssesing over my exam.