He shoots, he scores!

I didn't start running until an hour or two later than I had intended, because I didn't go to bed until after midnight. It was already warm when I headed out the door, and from the word 'go,' my legs felt heavy and I was tired. Still, I had done the bare minimum for the past few days, and I was determined to pull out at least the two-and-a-half mile loop. Even in the heat.

I ran it. I ran most of it, only walking a few times, for about fifteen seconds at a time. I felt tired, deflated (after my awesome-fast one-miler the other day), and I just wanted to be done. It was a bad run, but it was almost over.

I turned onto the street leading home, and I saw a young guy, probably high school age, shooting hoops there in the street. I hate having to walk when people can see me, so I determined to keep running. He kept shooting and missing. Shoot, miss; shoot, miss; shoot, miss.

"Good morning," he said.

"C'mon...'he shoots, he scores!' Let's see it!"

He laughed and kept shooting as I passed him, and I kept hearing the shoot, thud (missed again); shoot, thud; shoot, thud. Just before I had to turn onto my street, I turned around to check on him, and it was perfect: I caught him just as the ball flew into the air, and watched the nothing-but-net swish.

I shouted back at him, "there ya' go!" He laughed again, and I ran the last tenth of a mile back home, smiling the whole way. I don't even think he'll ever know how just being out there changed my day. It's that kind of thing that can change any run for me. Just saying 'good morning' or waving to someone else one the road - a biker, a walker, or a fellow runner - changes everything.

What can change your run around?
How was your last run?