My schedule for yesterday called for a nice 6 mile run, with the middle 3 miles at tempo pace. I debated running before school, but then I checked the weather forecast and saw the afternoon temps were supposed to be in the 60s with clear skies. I couldn’t pass that up, so I rushed over to Eisenhower after school to squeeze in a run before dark and so I could meet the gang at Freetails afterwards. I jumped out of my car and hit the trail running, taking Hillview in a clockwise direction. I casually jogged up to the top, then hit Red Oak for a short extension before beginning the “fun” part of my workout. I crossed the 2 mile (warmup) mark of my run just before beginning the descent down Yucca, which can be a very fast and enjoyable drop. I navigated the little twists and turns, soaking in the scenery and the tunes coming from my iPod (one I had borrowed since mine had been stolen the day before). As soon as I hit the bottom, I immediately turned around to re-trace my steps. After climbing Yucca, I re-joined Hillview and found John Palmer running towards me. After a quick exchange of words and promise to meet up later, I continued the tempo run I was so enjoying, seeing 2 deer cross a few feet ahead of me. This was the first time I have ever seen deer at Eisenhower, so it capped off a great day. After reaching the 5 mile mark of my run, I backed off the speed and leisurely ran some more.
Upon hitting the parking lot, I chatted with several friends as we watched a boot camp session start nearby. Words can’t do it justice, but let’s just say it was fascinating and entertaining to watch. Yesterday was one of those days you wish you could run forever. The weather, music, and scenery all contributed to make those 6 miles magical. I just hope that feeling will continue over to tomorrow as I head to Warda, TX to run the Wild Hare 50K. I intend to “race” it, which means I’ll be trying to push past my comfort zone, something I have trouble doing in the heat and humidity (which is in the forecast for tomorrow). Regardless of the outcome, I will enjoy being out on the trails doing what I love to do.
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