"Enjoying the Journey"

Well, I'll admit this is not a new concept for me. You all know how much I love my runs, and where I get to run. BUT, this week, more so than ever, I have found myself  repeating the words written to me recently - "Learn to enjoy the journey", in my head though it's shortened to just "enjoy the journey".  It makes me smile, and it makes me happy....even more so than I normally am out on the trail. It somehow made the heat, sweat, and challenging hills fun.

This weeks runs were great! Challenging, and beautiful, and hot, and they brought yet another "Mountain Season" about.  The season where the hills have officially turned from green to brown in about a weeks time, creeks are flowing one day, and dry as a bone 3 days later, leaving pools of swampy water in the creek, which means eating bugs for breakfast while running (and digging them out of crevices, but I digress). It also means tons of dragon flies, and butterflies.  The heat has meant a few changes of animals also - tons more lizards lazily spread out on the trail, deer are showing their faces again, and I've seen quail on every run this week.

For me personally, it has meant making the change to always carrying two hand held water bottles, rinsing off in swampy creek water to stay cool, wicked tan lines (although gaiter tan lines are not my favorite)....and best of all.....looking forward every run to finishing it with a  head to toe hose off with the hose by the park picnic area.  I take off my pack/ipod, hose down, but it back on and finish off the .2 miles to the car, in which time I get totally dry.

Here's a few from the week -

Monday - (you already saw these earlier in the week)

We call this "Scary Happy"

Profile of Monday's run-

 Thursday-

Huge Alligator Lizard

This had water on Monday, but was super dry on Thursday. The Ranger told me the creeks are about a month ahead of where they should be for drying out.

Bottom of Sunset still has water, but it's not moving much.

Celebrating the top of Sunset!

One of the few patches of green left on the Mt, it's really browned up this past week.

There are 5 Dragonflies in this picture, can you spot them?

Thursday's Run Profile - 
  


Friday-

Heading up Burma by Froggy Pond. Steep little cut up to where I want to be.

 Thursday I intended to head out to Buckeye loop, part of the 50k course, but it's a tad isolated and my phone was dead...so I did a shorter run Thursday, and did Buckeye on Friday, with a charged phone.

You can see Burma over my shoulder. Yes, it was stinkin hot.

I so enjoyed this trail! I was a bit nervous about snakes, but didn't see any.

Northgate Rd and a biker heading to the summit.

I may or may not have previously peed where that green stuff is...this made Brian laugh when he saw it during the 50k.

Looking back over the trail I'm on.

 This just made me all sorts of happy!  

Friday's run Profile-

Obviously, it's been a great week full of beautiful runs, and I've thoroughly enjoyed the journey this week!