Last Saturday my husband and I decided to run together. We went to the Minnekhada Trail, near where we live, trying to find a cool shaded area since the heat is coming back temporarily. We originally were going to Hyde Park, but did one of those spur-of-the-moment things where he said, “Oh, someone said a lot of runners go to this other park,” and off we went. It’s a 5 or 6K trail, and we were off happily, but soon enough realized that about a kilometer of the trail was unrunnable. It was barely hikeable due to debris from the windstorm the weekend before. Besides a lot of fallen stuff, the trail was a 500-foot incline full of rocks and roots. The climb was more of a workout than the running parts but was just as fun. Once we reached the top, we then had some descent that was too dangerous for running. But then, finally, we found a smoother dirt path to run on, and there we spread our arms like wings and did some nonsensical tribal calls while blasting downhill, feeling that pure feeling of freedom and joy one gets after the ascent–to the gravity-powered freeform run downward. What a great time!
Soon enough we ended up back down on flat ground at the beautiful, mountain-edged Pitt-Addington Marsh, which reflected the blue of the sky. A wedding party was there, and the white-gowned bride walked down the dusty path with her bridal party for pictures. These beautiful runs make me happy and encouraged.
Since then I have not been feeling too well. I still don’t know what might or might not be wrong, for my next two tests are this coming weekend and at the end of the month–but for now, I am not pushing myself. It is back up in the upper twenties this week, and I am taking this week off, the first week off I’ve had in a year I think. Fortunately next week will be lots cooler!