A Place Beyond

There is nothing more captivating and truly beautiful than the ocean sunrise, being there to watch the sun peak above the endless horizon.  No matter who and where you are in this world, it is worth getting up early at least once to be a part of this moment, as you will never witness anything more majestic and humbling.  By virtue of being a 5 AM Runner, I’ve been privileged to observe countless sunrises, but nothing comes close to the sheer awesomeness of being on the beach as the morning breaks.

Having stayed in Seaside Heights, NJ, for several days, I was finally able to fulfill my lifelong dream of running on the beach (or close to it) first thing in the morning.  I covered at least a mile or two on the empty boardwalk, continuously glancing at the invisible line where the ocean meets the sky… And when the sun finally pierced its way through the water, I simply had to pause and take in the moment.  No one can really describe the beauty of the ocean at such a moment, the words simply don’t exist… I snapped a few photos (though they pale in comparison to the real thing) and continued on my way, watching the sun form itself higher and higher above the surface.        

5 in the morning may be the only time you can get a few breaths of cool, fresh, ocean air, before the summer heat attacks with full force and reminds of its true power.  A few days ago I was naive enough to accept an invitation from a visiting Canadian marathon-runner to join her for a quick morning run; being that she is normal, she runs at a slightly later hour of 7:30 AM.  Well, what a difference those 2 hours make!!  The combination of air being much hotter and me trying to keep up with a superb athlete was simply too much to take, and I quickly fell behind (and fell apart), gasping for air and begging for mercy!  What can I say, lesson well-learned, I should know better where I do and don’t belong.

And so I am back on the beach at my usual early hour.  A place where you can truly leave your life behind and feel your inner self become a part of something magnificent, something that transcends time and defies limits.  A place where you can stay forever…