Running at the lake

 

I learned during this trip to the lake that I cannot run hills, at least not well. I got up every morning with the exception of 1 and ran. At home, I many times have to run before Chris goes to work. I do that because I hate running when it is hot and I just prefer to get it over with. At home, I run the trail mostly and then through the neighborhood a little. But, really, it is not very hilly. At least it is not very hilly when compared to running at the lake!

I was out the door either before 6 or at 6. I basically woke up, put my contacts in, brushed my teeth and was out the door. So, I was not even awake yet when I was looking up a 90 degree hill. I am not joking, either. After the 90 degree hill, there is a slow incline that continues on for what seems like forever and ever until I would reach another 90 degree hill. Then it is more of an up and down (or mostly up) away from the lake towards the highway. By the time I reached the highway to turn around…I was a wreck. But, I knew the rest of my run was all downhill mostly.

Every morning I ventured off the main drag onto new terrain. Okay, I know it is not nice to poke fun at the locals, but let’s just say their homes with undies handing on the clothes line in the front yard with barking mean dogs in cages do not give MO locals a good name. Some of the roads towards the lake were just not the friendly looking. I ran on the highway 2 mornings before I got tired of nearly getting hit by speeding cars when there is not a shoulder on the road to escape to. Finally, 3 days before departing, I found my road. I led down a big hill (that I eventually had to run back up) onto a gradual decline until I turned around. I loved it. In all, I think I probably ran 4-5 miles mostly uphill. My legs look awesome, but the rest of me doesn’t after all junk food I ate on vacation.

I will miss the scenic runs in the morning at more of a reasonable hour. I will miss the centipedes crossing the road under my feet, the turtles, the crows, the wandering dogs, the deer running in front of me (I saw 2 on my last day!), and the peace of it all. I will not miss the humid wet temperatures that I could not seem to escape or the random cars that tried to hit me because the roads did not have shoulders. 

Now…back to running the Shadow Lake trail. Hey…at least there is a lake!

Read and post comments | Send to a friend