I mentioned in a post about running up to Herkimer County Community College (HCCC) the front way and down the back that I ought to run up the back way and down the front. Yesterday I did.
The back way is more pleasant, because there is less traffic and what traffic there is often isn’t going as fast. You run through a residential area, then by some woods. There is even a little stream, going downhill, the lucky bastard.
I still have not reached the “I LOVE to run!” stage of running. I think that means the endorphins are kicking in, although I’m not very knowledgeable about biology. I don’t even always get to the “I can rock this” stage. I certainly did not feel that I could rock any hills on Friday, but I thought I’d do my best.
Up I went. A gentle upslope in the residential area, what I might say, “You call this a hill?” about when I’m in better shape. Ooh, here’s a related memory: when I was in the army, stationed in Monterey, California, I ran a lot of hills. From there I went to Texas for more training. One of my first PT (physical training) sessions, I got in the running group one step better than I should have, and was quickly in trouble. My fellow soldiers encouraged me to keep going, but I was puffing, panting and generally making a spectacle of myself. Finally they told me, “Just get up this hill and we’re done!” I had to do it, I managed to pant out, “This… is… not… a… hill.” I knew at the time how ridiculous it was: running like a fat, sedentary civilian and scorning the hill. Ah well, I amuse myself, at least.
Getting back to the present, I turned a corner and was on the twisty road up to the college. This is not as steep as the front way, but it goes on for SO LONG! I know, later in the spring and summer, it won’t seem long at all. Right now I had to call on my powers of perseverance. I made it! Soon I was looking at the view from the top. Beautiful! I could see over to the next mountain. I wondered how I might get to the road I saw on it. Um, not that I intend to run there, or even that I would be able to run there, even later in the summer.
Downhill is a beautiful thing. Really, all you have to do is shuffle your feet a little and let gravity do the work. It was too cold for me to stop at the spring for a drink. My hands were feeling stiff as it was. My ears were cold, too. Was is it with all the wind these days?
I felt happy about my run. Looking back over this post, though, I see that there was nothing unusual or striking about it. Dare I say, nothing blogworthy? And yet, here I am, posting the blog.
Mohawk Valley Girl 