Well today was a day of firsts! (for the season) It was the first "hot" day of my running season....85 with 60% humidity. That also meant it was the first SHIRTLESS RUNNING DAY! Always an exciting day for me since I do so love my shirtless running days. The other first of the day was the first adventure running day! I feel that running is something that should be very enjoyable. Since this is the case I like to take one day every so often to just have a bit of a wild adventure. I turn down a path I have never seen before....head into woods or some other forbidden looking area and just take a look around. I feel it is a way to just refresh the mind a bit while still doing your workout.
Today's adventure was on the outskirts of kensington park. Of course I decided to run on a very hilly course on a very hot day in which i was already dehydrated. As i took off down my normal route I noticed I was plodding....my legs and arms were weak from my overdoing it workout the day before. At the one mile marker I saw a dirt road I had never ventured on. I said why not and decided it would be good for my legs to get some good ole' fashioned dirt road action. As i turned down I noticed it was a camp site sort of ordeal that looked pretty beat up. Of course there was a monster hill I had to run up. About two thirds of the way up it i jumped onto the side bike path which was a poor idea. The tiny path was like quicksand and basically stopped me in my tracks. I decided to take a break since I was hotter than the dickens and tired and just exhausted from life lately. I took a look around and what a site to behold. There were little fishing creeks....a very ghetto amphitheatre in which plays looked like they could be performed and numerous tables and sites all over. My favorite little trinket was the little watering nozzle like the ones in the old west movies. It was a pump and so I decided to pump it to see if water came out. After a few tries without succeeding I decided to keep on trying and eventually freezing cold water came gushing out. I wanted a sip, but decided against it. Instead I covered my back and body in order to make it glisten from something other than sweat.
I turned back around and walked to the point at which I stopped before. As I walked I finally stopped and realized I was being a bit irritated by this noise I kept hearing coming from the tall grass. The noise sounded like someone zipping an old zipper in an almost violent fashion. At first i realized it had to be some sort of dangerous animal. Then I that maybe katydids, but I have those at my own house and know they sound much different. These darn buggers seriously followed me the whole way back to the point where I was waiting for them to jump out of the brush and go ninja on my tired runner booty. I digress....... This time all I had to do was go down hill. My body wanted to do no such thing. I moved along slowly and counted down as the 1/4 mile markers passed by. That is when i finally saw another runner on the path. As they approached I noticed my body feel better and my pace picked up. After they went by i felt somewhat rejuvenated. I was really baffled by this phenomenon, but have noticed it at times before. I am not sure if i am just that overly uberly competitive or if it was just nice to not be alone and just the mere presence of another person lifted my spirits and made me forget the heat if not just for a moment. (probably opinion #1) In any case.....woo for adventure runs!!!!
(PS tomorrow or tonight I plan on writing an informative tidbit. I will be adding these sporadically when i discuss runs like these with little actual running substance)
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