Sun Rises vs Sun Sets

I have to jog either at sunrise or sunset rather than the heat of the day because I'm old and don't want to end up in the obituary column the next day. I don't know why I could jog at 11 or 12 when I was younger. You wouldn't think age would be a factor in dehydration...maybe the kind of shape you're in does...but I digress. This morning was the first morning in a couple of weeks that I've gotten up early enough to jog at sunrise and it was AMAZING. My heart still has that happy beat to it and it's almost 10. :) I got to thinking...why does the sunrise make me so much happier than the sunset does when I'm jogging. So here comes another list:

1. It's about 10 degrees cooler at sunrise than at sunset because of the basic laws of thermo-dynamics.

2. The types of bugs out at the trails are not as annoying at sunrise than they are at sunset. No gnats at sunrise. :)

3. I haven't really eaten anything or drank anything so I never am tempted to use that nasty porta potty half way through the trail. Yeesh. I used it once...and only ONCE...ewwww....

4. There are no deer on the trail at sunrise. Those things can scare the snot out of me because you never know what direction they are going to dart in.

5. There are no strollers or bikers on the trails at sunrise (even though the sign clearly says bikes are never supposed to be on the trails I jog on.)

6. Because of the coolness of the day...the trail actually smells nicer. I can't explain it...there can be some musty smells later in the day.

7. The people on the trail at sunrise are experienced trail runners or walkers. They know to stay to the left to let faster people pass. They know if they are with other people to get single file to let people pass. At sunset, there can be a group of four blocking the whole path and you actually have to say, "Excuse Me." Saying anything at all is difficult for me sometimes...I'm jogging...sometimes it's all I can do to breathe. :)

8. If you get started early enough...it's as if you own the trail. Your footprints are the only ones there. That's an amazing feeling. It's only happened a couple of times, but it's still cool to be one of the first ones.

9. My family is usually still asleep...so I'm not taking time away from them...at sunrise. I'm not sure if a couple of the kids have even seen a sunrise...after going to bed. They've stayed up all night to see one...but they don't get up early for one. If left to their own devises they would all be night owls and sleep until 3pm. (Like I used to be. At least they get it honestly.)

10. When I'm jogging, I talk to God and think about the beauty of His creation, listening to worship music on my ipod. Starting your day that way sets the tone for the entire day. It's a blessing.

The only draw backs of jogging at sunrise rather than sunset I can think of is that the ground is damp, but if you think of how often afternoon thundershowers happen during the summer...all the morning dampnesses put together is nothing compared to getting caught in a storm, just once.

Even with a list of ten things...that doesn't explain why I was actually giddy when I saw the sun coming up as I drove to the trail. It's just so much more beautiful...maybe because I live on the east coast and the sun moves from east to west...maybe it's just knowing that I'm not trying to beat a sunset so that I'm stuck on the trail when it's dark. Whatever the reason...sunrises rock. :)