September 16, 2009

Raindrops Keep Falling...

Today was another rainy day calling me out to play. A steady warm rain which fueled my urges.

"Go Run" a voice shouted in my head. "No", I said, I need to rest. "Just go slow, a nice easy one. Go out and enjoy it", the voice urged.

I gave in to the voices in my head. What a wonderful run it was, on my suburban running tracks. Almost idyllic.

I wasn't the only one enjoying this rain.

I pass a young military man dressed in the new style Battle Dress Uniform, crisp clean high and tight haircut. A blond baby girl with chubby cheeks asleep on his shoulder, her face turned out for the world to see, I think; "what a great picture that would make".

A half mile later I'm passed by a couple of giggling girls on a motorized scooter, the both wave, smile and yell "Hi" as they pass.

Later I turn into one of the newer sections of the neighborhood, and there is more kids out playing in the rain. Two girls, I see often when I'm out running on this street, are out splashing in a huge puddle, acting like they don't see me, but then just I pass, they turn towards me, bend down and scoop water up with their hands to splash on me. I give them a big smile letting them know I approve of their mischief.

I go by the lake and couple of teenagers are out fishing in one of the many ponds.

About a mile later I pass two older women out for a power walk, we exchange Hi's and "love this weather" salutations. I pass them again about mile later and they cheer me on like I'm in a race.

I finish the run in the park where I placed a bottle of water earlier. There is a graying black Labrador retriever playing tennis ball fetch with his owner.

Remember, all this happened in the rain.

Kindred spirits.

.

September 11, 2009

Bridge to Court Square

I'm getting attention from Running is Funny. I've been getting kind lazy about updating my blog, so I thought I better post and use the shout-out to my benefit.

I'm reposting one of my better running posts from a few years back (April 2007)

Last night we had a run to commemorate the restoration of a famous Montgomery landmark. This run was mainly a event for local high school and youth sports teams to have some fun and publicize the reopening of the roundabout around this fountain. Since the whole city was invited to participate, and the running club I belong to was managing the course and timing, I went to help and participate.

I didn't mind all the pre-teen and teenage kids in the race, I usually have no problem running faster than them. I didn't mind the police and fire academies having teams, I can whip past them in the last half. I usually come in about the same time as the first female finisher, and that doesn't phase me, I've only been a runner in the last half of this life, so far, and being as fast as the fastest girls is good for me, I'm a very small guy.

Last night there was a small teenage girl that was ahead of me for the first half of the race. She made me feel really old. She ran the whole race in jeans, and barefoot. She came in a little behind me, and didn't even break a sweat, while sweat was dripping off of me.

I'm glad she got one of the awards, she deserved it.

Maybe I need to start learning how to play shuffleboard.