Sunday, October 4, 2009

I live in a beautiful place

So, I am training for this half marathon thing. I changed my workout schedule to allow myself to run 4x per week instead of 3. But what I didn't count on was this:
I don't want to run 4x per week. My 39-year old body doesn't want to run 4x per week. Particularly as it's short and stocky, and not built for distance (think: gymnast-shape, but with even bigger thighs and calves).

But I also feel weird about not doing *anything* on most Sundays. So I'll try and go for a walk alone or with the family.

This morning, I went on a short (2-3 mile) walk up to the Mesa. It's cool and windy - fall - or what passes for it in So. Cal, has arrived. Our thermostat says 59 degrees outside, perfect for a walk. It makes me think of pumpkins and apples - fitting, because we're headed to the pumpkin patch today, and just defrosted the last of last year's pureed pumpkin - and I'll be making soup for dinner.

As I turned for home, I have a big hill to walk up (the whole walk is a big hill, up, down, up, down). I was in a shaded, hilly, closed-in twisty-turny neighborhood. I came around the corner and BOOM, there it was. A gorgeous vista of deep blue Pacific ocean, white caps visible. A clear, sunny day with Santa Cruz Island visible in the background.

What a gorgeous place to live.

Well, it's off to get a glass of apple cider, then shower, then pumpkin patch!

2 comments:

Amy B said...

I actually thought of you on Sunday as I ran into the end of a marathon on my way to my own walk around our Back Cove in Portland, ME. It was nice they blocked off the cove to cars, so you could actually hear the ducks and crickets and enjoy the natural scene in peace.

It was exciting to see people of all shapes and sizes completing their runs. I noticed a lot of "gymnast shaped" women completing the run in good spirits, while several tall, thin young men were reduced to a slow walk across the finish.:)

I also saw a group of army reservists and their families jogging in unison, while a drill sargent kept up a chant, that was very moving.

Marcia said...

Amy, that reminds me of my first 10k when I was 18 years old...ran it with ROTC, in formation, calling cadences!