Morning Run

The alarm sounds at 7:15am. The city is still shrouded in the dark of night and all is the quiet. The cool air of the night as settled in and surrounded bodies buried in beds. I turn of the alarm, letting my eyes adjust to the darkness of this pre-dawn hour. Then it is on with the running clothes, tiptoeing out of the fifth floor apartment. Did I mention it was dark? The marble floors are like drums, echoing wildly in the silent stillness. It is down five flights of stair, lit by a switch for only thirty seconds. This mad dash to beat the timer catapults me to the eerie lobby, out the front door, and then out the gate. The quiet street is still asleep; the homes in their silence collectively breathe in and out. As I hit the start button on my watch, I pass the school door, still locked and silent. Coldplay is humming in my ears, and the few people out are still caught in the half-haze of this pre-dawn hour. My arms find the rhythm of my feet as I dart across the street. It is past the peluqueria (salon) with the broken front glass and poster for the movie Holiday with Jude Law and Cameron Diaz, and to the corner of the stadium. It is as if I’m crossing a minefield as I try to avoid the massive amounts of broken glass. The futbol game from last night is still seen in the shards. Sevilla played Betis, their cross-town rivals, in, what I would later find out, was a 0-0 game. (Imagine the Mets playing the Yankees and multiply that frenzy by some. This is Europe and futbol, afterall.) I run around the stadium, working my way to the third side, and the main intersection. The traffic begins to pick-up, and I pass the man who is handing out the morning paper on the corner. I turn the volume on my ipod up to drown out the sound of busses, cars, motorcycles, and Vespas. I’ve suddenly hit an awake part of the city. I’m on the sidewalk, passing the storefront windows with “Rebajas” pasted on them. Good shopping and huge discounts. At one point, I have to do a quick stop and turn around to get another look at a great pair of shoes, but for the most part I’m focused ahead of me. It seems as if the entire city is under construction. Watching my foot placement, I’m jumping over piles of dirt and loose stone, darting through narrow passages, and trying to avoid causing an accident. I pass those on the way to work, briefcase in hand. It is a cool morning, and scarves are tightly wrapped around necks. I get second looks from most as I’m the only runner out, and probably one of the few women they’ve seen running, especially outside. I pass the panaderia on the corner across from the bridge. The windows are steamy from the freshly baked bread and pastries. As I run past the open door, I enveloped in the warm smell of hot bread and the sounds of soft morning chatter. Pushing on, I’m to the center of the city and the University. The avenues give way to small streets of cobblestone. These calles are barely wide enough to fit a passing car, and when one does occasionally pass through, I leach to the wall as the side mirror barely misses my back. Up to the Cathedral and around the magnificent Giralda tower, I piecing my way back toward the apartment. Running through community gardens, the noise of the water fountains is a respite from the blare of horns and exhaust of cars. I’m passing the now lit store-front windows near the house as workers are opening their doors, setting up outdoor seating, and posting the daily specials. As I round the corner to the apartment, it is up a slight hill- the only one I can find in this flat town. The group of students gathered in front of the school has grown, and I’m headed right for them as I stop my watch, grab the key, and enter the apartment from the street. My breathing is heavy and my clothing damp from thick, humid air. The mausoleum feeling of the first floor still persists, but the sky is brightening. The sun won’t officially rise for another 15 minutes, well into the 8 o’clock hour. With it, the noise of the day persists more loudly. The bell for the school rings as the students scream as school starts. The day is beginning and I’m on my way.