Pondering Sisyphus

"The gods had condemned Sisyphus to ceaselessly rolling a rock to the top of a mountain, whence the stone would fall back of its own weight. They had thought with some reason that there is no more dreadful punishment than futile and hopeless labor." - Albert Camus, The Myth of Sisyphus

Sisyphus and Camus popped into my head this morning as E and I were yet one more time laboring up the Jefferson St. hill by the Acme distribution center. In going up that hill several times a week, the only difference between us and Sisyphus is that we've dispensed with the rock.

I don't throw this out to raise the "why do I run" question. Instead, if I remember correctly, there was more than a hint of absurdity to Camus' essay on Sisyphus, and the absurdity of huffing and puffing up the same hill, only to do it yet again the next time around, resonates this morning. Today I just want to carry the absurdity of running around with me for a bit. Not like a rock, but like a small stone in my pocket.

I think this heightened sense of absurdity is a product of my legs feeling de-energized and sore again, and after not running for three out of the last four days. Perhaps I overdid it resting so much.

I better sign off before I hurt myself. Sluggish Acme Loop this morning, 8 in 65:12.