I bought my first pair of running shoes (nike air) in 2006, after a few days of running in my converse sneakers because I didn't want to splurge on expensive shoes if I wasn't going to like running. in about 2013-14 running started to hurt. my left knee would click every now and then and going down stairs was especially difficult. i ran funny somedays then, swinging my feet out to the sides, cos it seemed to help, slightly. round about then I also fell one morning on my run; scraped my knee (I forget which one) and my left hand between the fingers and the wrist on the non-palm side. I still have butterfly shaped mark from that bruise on my hand that now looks like a birthmark. I remember I also tore my leggings that day on the fall. I stopped running as often, especially after my knee aches and then after someone suggested my shoes might need a change I think I stopped running altogether. there was new found yoga then. sometime after I moved to Fort Worth in 2015 and found myself by the river (Trinity) I wanted to run out in the mornings again. I remember some running discomfort again. and then I bought some cheapish Asics on sale, online, not sure changing shoes was the answer. the pair turned out to be so snug I couldn't fit socks in it and I think they were beyond returning giving having been bought on sale or some such. I started running in them without socks and felt like my free-er toes simulated barefeet running. my knee felt fine again just like that. although without socks my shoes got a lot more stinky and dirty on the insole. I had them till a month ago. this monsoon I started running outdoors again. then maybe in October I twisted something just above my right ankle. felt like I had hurt my achilles tendon. rest for a week, but it was sore even after hurting when I ran. then it kinda went away. and then one day I just fell headlong. probably got my shoe on a stone protruding from the park path (there are many all over). probably distracted by the cricket croud laughing (at me? there are often comments directed at me in a park where I am the only running girl). and I suddenly found myself hurtling toward the sand colored earth ahead of my with my hands outstretched to embrace it or push it away. I scraped my left knee and my left elbow. a few old uncles asked me if i was ok and told me about some woman who had just the day before suddenly fainted in the park. i said i was fine, i brushed the dust off, the elbow just looked like some dry blades of grass and the rough earth had scratched it, and my knee clothed in my grey leggings felt strong. so i started running again, finished the lap and a half that was still due. my knee was singe-ing by now and by the time i got into my car I saw that the leggings were staining with some blood although not enough to emerge through the fabric on the outside. got home washed it, was a bloody patch for about 3-4 days and i couldnt bear fabric on it so i wore shorts although it was getting coldish. new skin has covered it now. i always find the melanin spots so symmetrically arranged in any patch of new skin (golden ratio?) pretty cool. also the bruise colors. i didn't run for a few days again. next time i ventured out i was very careful looking at the ground and watching my steps. then in my final lap i felt this guy's eyes on me, sideways, right next to me. I looked reflexively. and then I fell again. he turned back to see me on the ground, didn't offer to help thankfully. i cursed myself. but thought i wasn't hurt this time. and then I saw the palm of my right hand; blood oozing out. probably my car key had scratched me; I usually have it in that palm while I run. the key itself had flown off to the side. I grabbed it, wiped it on my legginged leg, this time didn't try to finish my lap and drove home if only to wash the earth off the bleeding palm. for a day or two I obsessed over a bit of skin around the piercing that looked muddy and I couldn't seem to reach within it to get the brown out. inspired by all the reading about microbes and diseases I thought a bit about tetanus bacteria spores. but it healed beautifully, no bruises or scars, just a slightly darker spot left in the pink palm. by the way i once read (or heard) that we don't quite know why our bodies leave scars. its not like a scar is necessary in the skin's process of closing up, sealing in, and healing the wound. its probably a reminder to our past accidents, mishaps, foolishnesses, pain, etc. etc. dunno if that makes sense but to me it seemed cool then, like our body communicating to our minds, across time and place. anyway, two falls in two runs in a row. i initially attributed it to change of running speed cos i had then started running with a mask as October is PM2.5 month. maybe running slower upset my balance somehow. maybe. but then, anyway, i also blamed my shoes. each time its time to change shoes something like this happens, multiple lil incidents and injuries. so i bought the third pair of running shoes in my life. online again. asics again. but not pronated ones this time (i am slightly flat footed). ive been running like a charm since then. and these are half a size larger than the last ones, so socks fit in too. don't seem to ruin the barefooted feeling too much, I still splay my toes (within my socks) before they hit the ground each time. running is quite a natural muscle memory art. the other day two guys commented (talking to each other) that I had started coming to the park very late these days. i wanted to tell them: its hard getting out of my blanket as it gets colder. a couple days some men commented on my shorts being too small, and my tshirt being too big almost covering my shorts. this where even in hot summer other women walk in skin tight leggings. and today some middle aged uncles (maybe younger) weren't quite as appreciative in the right way when they commented on how active to them I looked. I've heard other women complain that delhi isn't a city for early morning runs alone for a girl. i've run alone at 6-ish mornings since 2007 on and off. somehow these men never bother me enough. 2 years ago I used to go out with my pepper spray, now I don't even bother with that given the pandemic has got the park so busy with ppl channeling their energy into new healthy habits.