This morning was harder. It’s one thing to wake up in daylight, another to get up in darkness. One thing to run with a friend, another to run alone. To run in daylight, another to run in darkness. From darkness to dawn I made it to Diamond Head, and inside the crater as the sun crested the eastern rim. Less than twenty minutes later I reached the summit. Clear skies overhead, the sun had ducked behind a cloud layer just above the horizon. This is my second #NP_PhotoContest entry. From the profile you’d think I was part elf. I’m standing in the same spot as two days ago, and yet, this morning began very differently. Alone, unmotivated, barely motivated, running, then losing nearly half an hour looking for a restroom, almost quitting and turning back, pressing on to complete a couple of miles, up to the edge of the crater, and having gone that far, finally motivated to push all the way up inside to the top. In that moment, beyond gratitude, I felt a growing sense of self-reliance, and a lot less self-doubt. Thanks to running with #NovemberProject, I’ve learned to get up in darkness and wear a headlamp before dawn. Thanks to running trails with #NPSF friends (often at #SFRC), I’ve learned to wear a buff to wipe my brow, carry enough water for the roundtrip, and pack a snack just in case. Running alone in the dark is still a challenge. There’s always an inside voice of doubt, speaking up at even a hint of exhaustion, tiredness, or breathing difficulty. I’ve learned to live above it by listening to it rather than rejecting it. By allowing myself the option to turn around, in a mile or two, it feels heard. And when that mile or two comes, the voice is almost always completely gone, replaced by feelings of momentum and self-confidence. About halfway to the summit I saw a #grassrootsgear orange tanktop coming the other way and met Jessie & her friend from NovemberProjectDC! A pleasant friendly surprise among the throngs of half-awake tourists. We stopped to take a photo together. Standing there at the Diamond Head Summit, I waited for the sun to continue rising above the clouds, still low enough to cast a warm yellow orange glow. Took a few photos, then ran back down, pausing on the street outside Diamond Head to appreciate the chickens, roosters, and doves snacking near the sidewalk, before running back to the beach and finding breakfast. #fromwhereirun #today #thismorning #run #runner #solorun #confident #trailrun #neverstopexploring #getoutside #dawn #sunrise #summit #DiamondHead #DiamondHeadsummit #crater #DiamondHeadcrater #Waikiki #Honolulu #Oahu #Hawaii #sun #clouds #ocean #waves #hills #nofilter

This morning was harder.

It’s one thing to wake up in daylight,
another to get up in darkness.

One thing to run with a friend,
another to run alone.

To run in daylight,
another to run in darkness.

From darkness to dawn I made it to Diamond Head, and inside the crater as the sun crested the eastern rim. Less than twenty minutes later I reached the summit. Clear skies overhead, the sun had ducked behind a cloud layer just above the horizon.

This is my second #NP_PhotoContest entry. From the profile you’d think I was part elf.

I’m standing in the same spot as two days ago, and yet, this morning began very differently.

Alone, unmotivated, barely motivated, running, then losing nearly half an hour looking for a restroom, almost quitting and turning back, pressing on to complete a couple of miles, up to the edge of the crater, and having gone that far, finally motivated to push all the way up inside to the top.

In that moment, beyond gratitude, I felt a growing sense of self-reliance, and a lot less self-doubt.

Thanks to running with #NovemberProject, I’ve learned to get up in darkness and wear a headlamp before dawn. Thanks to running trails with #NPSF friends (often at #SFRC), I’ve learned to wear a buff to wipe my brow, carry enough water for the roundtrip, and pack a snack just in case.

Running alone in the dark is still a challenge. There’s always an inside voice of doubt, speaking up at even a hint of exhaustion, tiredness, or breathing difficulty. I’ve learned to live above it by listening to it rather than rejecting it. By allowing myself the option to turn around, in a mile or two, it feels heard. And when that mile or two comes, the voice is almost always completely gone, replaced by feelings of momentum and self-confidence.

About halfway to the summit I saw a #grassrootsgear orange tanktop coming the other way and met Jessie & her friend from NovemberProjectDC! A pleasant friendly surprise among the throngs of half-awake tourists. We stopped to take a photo together.

Standing there at the Diamond Head Summit, I waited for the sun to continue rising above the clouds, still low enough to cast a warm yellow orange glow. Took a few photos, then ran back down, pausing on the street outside Diamond Head to appreciate the chickens, roosters, and doves snacking near the sidewalk, before running back to the beach and finding breakfast.

#fromwhereirun #today #thismorning #run #runner #solorun #confident #trailrun #neverstopexploring #getoutside #dawn #sunrise #summit #DiamondHead #DiamondHeadsummit #crater #DiamondHeadcrater #Waikiki #Honolulu #Oahu #Hawaii #sun #clouds #ocean #waves #hills #nofilter