My mood is often determined by stoplights on my runs.
Every day, I make the 60-meter run up to my street corner before hanging a left and hoping the Philadelphia stoplight Gods are smiling upon me. As I jog toward that next street corner, a hue of red, yellow, or green grows more distinct.
I’m never quite sure which color I want to see when I initially round the block and gradually approach the intersection, unsure of how long I have before it changes.But once I’m within a few steps, green is all I desire. Red will never do. Yellow is too tenuous, liable to morph red and halt me in my tracks. Far too often, it’s red and my run is immediately interrupted. Watch paused, mood dampened, rhythm broken.These days, as frigid winter temperatures blanket the Northeast—my weather app told me it felt like -15 degrees during Saturday’s jaunt—the first 10 or so minutes of each run allow me to warm up and defrost. When a red light delays this process, the frozen air envelops me, seeping through my layers, and seems to extend the defrosting pattern another 10 minutes. During those moments, red lights are no ally of mine.When warmer weather arrives, with humidity joining the Phillie Phanatic as the city’s informal summertime mascot, red lights are a constant foe. Between June and September, the goal is to dart out of the apartment and arrive home as quickly as possible before humidity overwhelms me. On those days, I don’t need stoplights prolonging my runs, letting the sun weigh heavily on me as a disconcerting amount of sweat pools across my brow and trickles down my cheeks.Ask me deep enough into a run, however, and my tone differs.Maybe, for any number of reasons, I’ve exhausted my lungs and need a breather. At a moment like that, I cherish red lights. They’re an invigorating respite to propel me as far as the next red light or until I can see the finish line of my apartment steps .Perhaps, the asphalt paradise that is Philadelphia has worn my body down over the course of a lengthy run, battering bones, tendons, and ligaments in need of a foam roller and ice pack not immediately available. My creaky knees , rickety hips, and tender hamstrings beg for a red light in those spots.Heck, sometimes, when I need a stoplight, it has nothing to do with how my lungs or limbs are feeling.Sometimes, my Spotify playlist simply isn’t unlocking the endorphins necessary to put grin on my face . As someone who does most of his running solo, a good playlist is just as crucial as the fuel and hydration I’ve consumed beforehand. Red lights can provide just enough time for a jukebox jumpstart. I appreciate them in those instances.So, as a runner, are red lights my friend? No, I won’t dilute the label of friend like that; our relationship is far too complex for such a simple, complimentary term. But do I respect red lights? Absolutely—both fondly and begrudgingly. And I’m content with it that way.
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