My favorite runs during this past summer, a Summer to Remember were my Sunday runs, when I did not race and I was Running West.
At the end of the afternoon, with a beautiful sunshine I am Running West. After a first mile running in a forestry neighborhood, the smell of pine trees transports me to my Christmas' childhood, the only time of year with pine trees in the tropics. A mile later, the trees give room to open skies and to the blue waters of the sound. The pine smell becomes salty, from the ocean. My soul and spirit are thankful to nature. I am now running down hill embracing nature intertwined with the human creativity of every beautiful home's landscaping, and the beautiful private park and pond.
The nice summer warmth and breeze cover me, until I get to the westernmost point of my run where I religiously stop to contemplate the water. I pray for each of my family members that are now gone. Point of return.
I leave the sight of the sound behind me, and I run uphill. The sky is covered back by the tall pine trees. I am thirsty and nature offers me hundreds of blackberries. It is my easy run, on a blessed Sunday, I can stop to pick as many as my hands can take. I continue running satisfying thirst with the juicy fruit. I see a traffic light. My adventure has ended, so has summer.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Race of the week: Raced with my son a Haunted Hustle... As the race was in his town, one hour from my home, I went the night before and we had a nice dinner with dear friends. My adorable husband prepared a delicious lasagna, a better garlic bread, and a much better pecan pie. Shelly, my daughter in law, prepared the salad, and I the most delicious vinaigrette. The red vino on my son and the Cohens. We were hesitating on racing as the temperature was going to be 31F, sunny, however. After the wonderful dinner, and 3/4 of a bottle of wine, I said what the heck: What my breath thermo is for?
Went to bed at 11 pm, tired. Didn't have a good night, woke up thirsty numerous times and the hangover was promising.
Alarm clock, coffee saviour, dress up, and go. Picked bib numbers for son and I, and gun is off. We had THE RACE. I held my son up for a while, thinking that he wanted to go too fast, but after a couple of minutes, I told him: Go. I held my pace for the first half and then Lizzie-Lee-from-Ireland's hammering moment arrived. I ran pretty hard, and then sprinted the last quarter of the race. 27:46", 8" slower than my PR of 27:38. Got third in my division, and Diego, with 23:36" got second in his. We had THE RACE, and with a lot of vino!!!
Division 3/17 - Overall Female 38/194 - Overall 73/389
Below the pics, from dinner to race... (This dinner merited a marathon next day instead of a 5K...Huge carbo loading!!!).
