Yesterday I ran with the "Doctor", my "Doctor".
Let me first explain, I am a category one British Nerd. As a consequence I am a fan of Doctor Who - let's add Torchwood too (except for this year, but that's a whole difference essay).
Yesterday, was the first episode of the second half of the sixth season. Yep, it doesn't make sense to any of us either, but let's just say there are quite a few of us [Category One Nerds] who were pretty excited about it. So many questions, so many plots... Do they kill Hitler? Do they find Melody? Does RiverSong come back? Will Amy become all lame-arse because she is now a "Mother"? The usual life-death questions.
So in celebration for, 1) I can now run and 2) Doctor Who was back, I made an effort to run with the "Doctor" yesterday. I have a pretty eclectic play-list on my ipod and it get's weirder every year. I do run without music on the technical trails. If I do wear my iPod, it's usually on an easy, well-known trail. I usually only have one earbud in and it's on very low. I can still hear my footfalls. It's more of a background beat than anything I consciously listen to. Quite often it set's the mood of what could be a mundane run. I have my warm-up music (Bowie) and I have my fartlek music (currently Arcade fire and the Killers). I have my mental reset music (snow patrol). I have my happy music (Noah and the Whale and Mumford and Sons). I also have a fantasy tune. This is a fast sprint with a grin - where I run with the biggest smile and as I quick as I can. It's a narrow margin if I don't kill myself as I fall over a tree root.
It's this:
It's called "I am the Doctor" and it's the 11th Doctor's theme tune. I do not have any other orchestral music on my iPod except this, but this is one of my favourite tracks. When this comes on, I run over my bit of trail as fast as I can. I pretend there are aliens in the sky and that the sky is a funny shade of purple. I imagine that we are being chased and shot at. I dash from bush to tree and try to hide from deadly ray blasts. I see explosions and debris flying in the air. For 4 minutes I am transported and I am running for my life. I skip and I dance over the roots and gravel and if I had a "sonic screwdriver" I am sure there would be a few trees without leaves and quite a few squirrels scared "poo-less".
This is my unbidden fun track. I know that no-one would understand what's going in my head when this comes on, but that's fine.
So yesterday I ran from the Soltaran, the Darleks and the Cybermen. Okay, my knee didn't like it and I developed a kick-arse blister on my funky toe. My 3 mile run only ended up being 2 miles before I accepted defeat. However I DO NOT care. I got to play this and for 4 minutes I was 7 years old and hiding behind the sofa, imagining what it would be like to be with "Doctor Who" on his travels in the TARDIS. I was having the best time. Many people would count the fact I had a "technically" bad run as something to be upset about. I don't - I got to run with the "Doctor".
So, Run. Basically Run.
[Note: Fantastic episode last night. Just want to know, WTF happened to Hitler? Is he still locked in the cupboard?]
I think being a Dr. Who fan is a prerequisite for barefoot runners. And for being a civilized human being, of course. He's my favorite protagonist - the one who runs away.
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