Running with the Roosters

Istanbul has many mosques and masjids, including the Hagia Sofia and Sultan Ahmed, better known as the Blue Mosque. When the call to prayer comes in Istanbul, it is overwhelming and powerful. I felt the voice of the Adhan reverberate in my very being as I ran in the early morning. It made the trip memorable.

A sunrise run in the Village of Fair Oaks, CA worked my auditory senses in a similar manner, yet not religious or human driven by any means. Roosters, many roosters announce the new day with the classic onomatopoeia: cock-a-doodle-do. The crows of the feathered males echoed across every city block of downtown of Fair Oaks. I heard them long before I entered the town square. Closer and closer the volume grew as well as the number. Along the way I passed a few rosters waddling about yards, businesses and sidewalks. The intensity and repetitiveness of their morning call was compelling. When I reached the center of town it was like a surreal dream. Roosters roamed everywhere. Most passively went about their business, others aggressively protected their domain from other roosters and from me.

I noticed many business and signs that had images of the roosters. The creatures were indeed a symbol of the town. There was a rooster shaped stop sign to allow the birds to cross the road, and a shop filled with chicken related paraphernalia. It was sort of neat to see this symbiotic relationship. This beckoning to start the day is much different than the Islamic call to prayer, but I found it a very nice way to welcome the day.


Start the day with a run.

Tom