GLORIOUS

That's about the only word that accurately describes my run yesterday.

I was welcomed back from my short jaunt to the NW, by cooler weather, by about 20 degrees, bringing it down to the mid 80s. It felt quite delightful, especially for running. Not to mention that on top of that, it looked like it was going to rain. Even better.

I went to the local running park which has a 3 mile loop. On the first loop I was jumping over the puddles trying to keep my shoes from getting wet. The next loop it started drizzling a bit and from the humidity and sweat alone I was already soaking wet. Partway through my second loop I started to see lightening and hearing thunder. I made it to my car after six miles and decided to drop my iPod off as I remembered trigirl82's fateful day when her iPod went through the washer? I think that's what happened if I remember right. Being that I felt like I was in a washer, I still wanted to have an iPod when I was done running so I put it into the dry car...just in case.

Then just a few hundred yards down the trail, in the words of my daughter, "It sounded like the sky was breaking." GLORIOUS. I LOVE thunderstorms. Especially southern thunderstorms. Nothing to even compare with what we get in the NW. Just a few short steps later I was completely soaked. My shoes filled up with water and instead of trying to jump over the puddles, I sloshed through them loving every minute. It was beautiful. I might venture to say that this could have been the best run of my life. Strange being as it was in Texas, I agree, but it was just plain GLORIOUS. The trail quickly cleared out leaving myself and approximately two older gentlemen trotting along in the soaking rain. I was having so much fun that before I knew it I had picked up my pace by 30 seconds to a minute faster per mile. I'm pretty sure I PR'd that particular loop as it is usually so miserable to run out there. The whole time I was thinking...."I kinda hope there is mud for Sunmart." I would take rain to blazing sun any day. Not that it's not still hot when it rains, because it is, but it just makes things a little bit happier for me at least. It was pouring so hard at one point in time I couldn't fully open my eyes to see where I was going. GLORIOUS. Yeah, it was pretty great.

I got back to my car, put my towels down on my seat, and jumped inside. My hands and feet both looked like I had been sitting in a bathtub for hours. I was completely soaked, wrinkled, and dirty. But I had a smile on my face.

I wish I could end this story and say that from here on out running in Texas is going to be that glorious. Unfortunately, I headed out today again in 90 degrees with 90% humidity and it was grueling. I cut my run short at six miles and called it a day.

I guess not every day can be as glorious. But every mile counts. That's what matters.




Unfortunately you can't hear the car alarms being set off from the thunder in this video and it was a lot more exciting in person, but for what it's worth...here it is.