After an overnight rainfall, the day rises steamy under a cover of light grey sky. Since it’s Sunday, we decide to go early to OxBow Park before the crowds arrive for picnicking or barbecuing or celebrating. The landscape here is lush. The mulberry trees are ripe with berries that leave a deep purple stain on the ground. Black raspberry and elderberry bushes grow up and out.
For many years, Sunday has been my longer run day. I run some during the week as I can squeeze it in but on Sundays when my schedule is often free and open, I take the time to go a little farther. Back in the day that often meant a five or six mile run. Sometimes I would run to OxBow Park from my house and then meet up with Jim and the dog for a walk. For a while, I ran six miles with my friend, John, and we would spend the hour it took to discuss the happenings of the last week. A few times, I even ran a half marathon on the Pumpkinvine Trail.
These days, I’m trying to get back to the five kilometer run, hoping I can run in a race or two before bad weather sets in. So this morning, I’m mixing it up at OxBow, running on both road and trail. My run takes me on the bike path and then through the open prairie. Here, where the land opened out just a few months ago, the grasses have grown almost as tall as my shoulder. Birds fly above, sometimes veering towards me as they protect their territory. I run through and then onto the wooded trail. That’s when the humidity starts to hit me. The air is dense and no breezes reach me under the tree canopy. So I focus on my breathing and let my legs go on automatic. I wipe my face with my shirt to help cool me down. I sidestep the baby turtle on the path, hear the woodpecker call, feel a sweat fly in my hair. I fall into the rhythm of the run and imagine myself going on and on.
During these minutes, when my body just does its work, my brain gets active. I’ve discovered that this is a good time to process what’s going on in my life and get my creative juices flowing. I don’t know how many columns I have written as I run these trails. But I know it’s a perfect time to take in the natural world as I work out my muscles and my thoughts.
Now I’m running back out in the open prairie. I open my arms as I feel a slight breeze. It’s getting a little harder to run and I have to push myself a bit more. As I run the last half mile, I know I can finish and I’m thinking about that iced water bottle waiting for me at the end. As I come down the road, Jim and Sadie May, the pup, are ready to greet me. I stretch and drink. Despite the humidity, it is a good run.
Over the years, the Sunday run has brought me joy, peace and a sense of accomplishment, things that I can use plenty of. And I’ll keep doing it as long as I can.