This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Alabama Speaker of the House Seth Hammett takes the mornings to himself. His days start at about 5 a.m. when he gets ready for his morning run in his East Montgomery neighborhood. Every morning finds the 63-year-old running a 3-mile route. It's his only time alone during the day.
I recently sat down with Hammett, D-Andalusia, who has been running for more than 30 years, and share with you snippets of what running does for him, its challenges and his thoughts on giving up the sport.
* In his words:
"I used to go down to the central YMCA in Montgomery and I would exercise and lift weights. And some of the guys that were jogging, they asked me to jog with them. On the first day, I jogged about 100 yards, and then walked back.
"I jog five days a week. At 5:30 in the morning. Always three miles. I tell people I run longer because I run slower. I've done a few 10Ks. The Azalea (in Mobile) is one of them. The Jubilee (formerly a 10K race) is another. I thoroughly enjoy it. It is something I look forward to.
"I'm certainly not a competitive runner. I run between 9-minute and 11-minute miles. I run about 27 or 28 minutes for a 3-mile. I'm pretty slow.
"I run every day unless there is lightning in the area. The cold doesn't bother me. Neither does the heat.
"I do the same route every morning. It takes me about a half-mile to get to this area where there are horse farms and lakes -- you make a circle and come back. It makes for a beautiful place to run. There are beautiful homes and lakes, geese and ducks, and horses. I love the route.
"When I first started running, I'd run with these guys at lunch time. And later as I got into it, I'd try to jog in the afternoon. ... I'd jog, then get dressed in the middle of the day. But I'd run into conflicts. Running in the morning. ... it's the only time that I know for sure that I can do it. During the day, things always come up. Nobody has ever asked to meet me at 5:30 in the morning.
"I just do it because I enjoy doing it. I do it for exercise. When I run, I listen to the news. I listen to (National Public Radio). It has an Alabama news segment. It's time for me to think. I'm a morning person -- that's when I really do my best thinking; when I plan my day. I plan several days in advance.
"It's my time. I run basically by myself. But I enjoy it. It's my time. As old as I am, I don't like the hills too much. I wear a brace on my left knee. ... have for a long time. I wear a sweatsuit in the cold and cotton in the summer. Now it's not that hot in that time of the day. Perspiration doesn't bother me.
"The only thing I've spent money on is the (knee) brace and good shoes. I've worn Asics for a while."
* Regarding running: "I like the freedom that you feel. The sense of accomplishment after you complete your run. I particularly like the fact that it's good for my heart and lungs.
"I'm not going to give it up until I have to. Your body just doesn't feel right if you miss a day. I believe your body needs a day to recover -- that's why I take a day off. I take off Sundays. I'm not trying to beat anyone. I do it for myself. There's no other reason."
