Today, being Saturday and being that I am still in training for this half-marathon, I headed down to the track to meet Dianne and Ruth, my running partners on the days that I feel I can keep up. Well, the track and I had a bit of a disagreement. I think that running should be enjoyable…the track does not. So, after running a mile with Ruth and Dianne, I had to go. I would rather run on a treadmill for two hours than around a track 77 times (11 miles on the short track…the long track was closed). It’s a beautiful day here in Provo, so rather than heading to the gym, I decided to head to the Provo River Trail and see how it went.

There’s something that feels so hard-core about running outside when it’s 25 degrees and your feet are crunching over snow on the trail. The run was great (well, the first 8 miles). The river was beautiful. The air was clear. The sun was shining. The trail wasn’t crowded. I loved it. It reminded me of a perfect day I spent in Spokane, Washington about two years ago. If you ever have a reason to go to Spokane, do it. It’s a beautiful city with a great river.

Anyway, as I was saying, my run was great, except for the part where I forgot that there wouldn’t be a drinking fountain and didn’t bring water with me. And the part where, at the end of the run, as I was cooling down, I ate it on black ice. Good times! And yes, there were witnesses. Thankfully, most people out on a trail in the winter time have fallen at least once, or at least that’s what they told me to make me feel better.

I haven’t run outside for about two months. And, having lived in Provo 5+ years during college, I was glad to have finally made it down the south end of the Provo River. It’s amazing. There are big trees and there was a section where the stripped brush was coated in ice. And in someone’s backyard, there was a little hose spraying a small stream of water, and this little bit of water, over time, has turned into this amazing sort of ice sculpture. I wish that I had a camera with me, but I’m sure the picture (given my skills) would not have done justice to it. There was a small sign posted asking people not to break of icicles becaue the sculpture was not stable, but I broke one off anyway (a small one) and ate it–hey, I was thirsty. Whether running or walking or biking, being outside is amazing. There are so many things we don’t see when we are driving around and there are so many places that cars won’t go.

And to top off my great morning, when I finally finished my run and headed home (hand throbbing, knees hurting, completely dehydrate – yes it’s worth it), I was driving up the hill to my house and I passed my cute grandma coming down the hill with her neighbor. He’s almost blind and very old and she takes him shopping every Saturday. My 82-year-old grandma (her birthday’s next week) taking her neighbor shopping because he can’t do it on his own. If that isn’t enough to make you smile, I’m sad for you. You must be a very depressed person.

And now, my morning is over and it’s time to take a shower, clean and do some homework. And life rolls on…