Long Run

After the MCM, we had two weekends of family emergencies. We were finally home this weekend. Since I'm no longer mentoring Denise through her long runs in preparation for her marathon, I ran alone this morning.

My neighborhood run is a simple and challenging 3 mile loop, half on roads, half on paved trails. I alternate clockwise and counter-clockwise directions. My mind decomposes the run into 3 out-and-back runs, rather than 6 laps. I stopped for a gulp of Gatorade at each lap, the bottle concealed in our mail box.

I started the run to the sound of a Great Horned Owl somewhere in the woods around the pond at the neighborhood's heart. I ended it to the sounds of 3 hawks in various tree tops and the endless chatter of robins, blue jays, and grackles. In the beginning, I was tired and sore from yesterday's trail runs. At the end I was nearly exhausted from the cumulative effects of 2 days' running and the cold.

It was great to do it again.