...more than a few years ago, I guess.
It's easy enough to slip on a pair of tennis shoes and pound the pavement...although in my case, it's more like plodding, as I am probably THE slowest runner EVER in the whole world. Really. Truth.
Here at the lake, I have the perfect running trail...a moderately easy 3.5-mile course that is quiet...peaceful... and always full of interesting surprises....let me take you along for today's run, which is pretty typical....
Before heading out, I put on my favorite shoes...I like these because they're not only bright, but they're super comfortable. Ever have a pair of shoes that make you feel like you're flying? These are it...
Soon, I'm sailing along...when...wait? Is that a SNAKE???!!!
Upon closer investigation, I realize it's a false alarm. Whew. I hate snakes.
Soon, I pass the dam along the lake...always worth a stop for a second to take in the view...
Then, I enter the "dark and scary forest" - but I always laugh when I see this sign:
That's why I'm running, honey...so I don't end up at 6 tons....
The "dark and scary forest" is just that - a stretch that can get dark, especially in the twilight. Sometimes, I'll come across a cop sitting in his patrol car in this little hideout:
That always comforts me a bit...I'll wave at him, and he'll be all cool and cop-like, with just a nod of his head to me...
Then...it's the hills. Ugh. I don't like the hills, but they're a necessary evil along this road...
It's along this stretch that I usually encounter wildlife. Once, I thought I saw a wolf...but Hubby convinced me that I was crazy. I DO see deer through here all the time...or perhaps it's the same deer...either way, it can be a little startling...
There's usually a bunch of cows on the other side of the road...every time I run by, they'll stop munching the grass and just....stare....at me, as I slowly plod on by. They absolutely DO NOT take their eyes off of me, ever. It's somewhat creepy....being stared at by a hundred cows.
Soon, I'll see the half-way point up ahead...which is always a bit encouraging....where the road appears to "end" is my turn-around point.
Running back now, I laugh when I come across this sign:
Trust me. My speed is greatly reduced by this point.
This time of year, I get the added bonus of the sunflowers, that are sprouting up everywhere:
Wait. Is that a SNAKE???!!
No. False alarm. Again. Speaking of snakes, I've always called THESE "Sky Snakes":
As I get closer back to my house, I always encounter this house down the street from me. We call it the "double-wide" - for obvious reasons:
As fancy-schmancy as the house is, this is the mailbox out front:
We DO live at the lake, after all.
Sometimes...like today...I encounter the buzzards that are circling overhead:
I realize that they're probably waiting for me to keel over, so they can feast on my flesh...but I shoo them away, telling them I have a few years left in me, so move on to their next meal.
Wait. Is that a SNAKE??!!
YES! It is!!! See...I'm not crazy in imagining every little squiggly thing along the road is a snake...living at the lake, you're bound to see a "real" snake sooner than later. Ugh.
Soon, I see the BEST SIGHT EVER.
My house. Which means my run is done. Yay.
I'm not the best runner. I'm certainly not the fastest runner.
However, whenever I get discouraged, I just remember the following:
Whether it's a 14-minute mile...or a 7-minute mile...it's still a mile.
Running is running.
Peace.
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