My heart pounds. Slowly at first, but quicker by the minute.

Inhale. I feel the familiar tingle of blood rushing faster to my limbs. My face glistens and I breathe in deeply. My lungs burn. One foot in front of the other. Exhale.

Running eases my anxieties. The faster my heart pounds, the less I can think about the outside world. The sweat dripping down my back is physical proof of me trying to cleanse myself of all of the terrible things I have been doing with my life. If only I could sweat it out like a sickness. The aches in my muscles make me feel alive. The gentle rhythm of my sneakers pounding on the pavement calms my mind.

I push myself harder, longer, faster. The cramp in my side is just a temperary setback. Just like the roadblocks in my life as of late. Pushing through the ache, I breathe deeper, slower, and brush the sweat back from my brow. Just a little farther.