As my summer wraps up, there are a few moments I want to savor, to hold on to, to keep in my back pocket for those cold days ahead. I thought I’d share a few with you here:
- A sunny, summer Sunday morning, I pass by a corn field and the golden corn silks glisten in the light, like rows of little blonde-headed fairies.
- Further down the same road, I pass my favorite little farm and the two cows are pressed against the stone wall, watching me as I pass. I pause to say ‘hello’ and we stand silently staring at each other. A week later, I am formally introduced to the cows – Harold and Kumar, with Spot the calf. They are the highlight of the organized bike ride in which I participate – not to mention to delicious molasses ‘energy bars’ that their owners share with the riders.
- Each day as I run past the storm grates in the road, I hear the occassional ’sploosh’ of a frog, as it dives for cover from my imposing shadow.
- Running down the paved greenway, I spot a cat coming towards me. Quickly, off to the side, there’s a flurry of activity as a family of turkeys scurry down the sloped side of the path. The cats curses my loud feet, and bounds away.
- Mornings greet me with darkness. My headlamp catches some movement off to the side of the road. ‘Oh, a cat!’ Not quite – it has black and white fur, but it’s white striped back and bushy tale straight up in the air suggest that it’s not a cuddly feline at all, and not happy to see me. I move quickly past, waiting to exhale.
- I sit in the warm sunshine on the damp grass and sip my all-time favorite cup of beer of the summer – the free beer post-race at the New Haven 20k. I swap stories and smiles with my running friends Bill, Missy and Jon and congratulate myself on meeting my simple goal of beating last year’s time. (Jon wrote a great race report.)
- After three flat tires and 102 miles on my bike, I finish the ride under 6:00 hours with tired legs, salty skin and my cycling ‘family’ at my side.
This will be my second fall season without a marathon on the schedule, and based on my newly changed ‘career,’ it was a good decision. I’ll keep the miles up and may set my sights on a spring race instead. Or maybe something else entirely (she says mysteriously). Hope you all have warm summer memories to hold on to during the cold winter months!
