Snipets

-Deep in the chamber, I'm holding flickering lit matches up against the wall to guide my way. My legs barely carry me forward in the dark.

-Was there a time when I was at rest? Will there ever be a time when there is nothing to be done?

-Slight fever, slight ache, slight pain in the back of throat. Health's ragged edge.

Haiku of the Day:
Hugging the air out
from frozen veggie bag
burns cold on the chest

Today's Drawing (inspired by a bed bug's banal blood borne botulism)

Today's "365" Project (Censor something that isn't usually censored)
"Scantaloupe!"

Today's Runners: A big day for it!

JOE COOK See below!

TYMOTEUSZ KAJSTURA 8.65 mi at 7:01 min/mi. for what Tym is calling #milesformichael. It was a whooping 430 ft elevation gain.

RACHEL LEIBOWITZ Total of 11.38 miles over three days. She handed me a post-it at work with her details. Thank you Rachel!

KIKI SAMKO (wrote a wonderful story of her run today!)

 6.5 miles, today, in 50 minutes time. I don't take my phone on runs with me, since I fear I will break it, so there is no picture. Instead I'll tell you a story about it. 

After a relaxing rest day Sunday, I went out for my typical daily jaunt, not quite sure of the route I was going to take. I had an idea that I wanted to run Jamaica Pond, so lovely during the day and peaceful and full of families and individuals and friends enjoying the green. I set off up Centre Street in Jamaica Plain but then I realized to log the mileage I wanted, I'd need to take the back half of my run by my work. I don't like going by my work on day's when I don't have to be there, so I thought I'd adjust things a bit. 

I had more time today for my run than I usually do. Typically, I squeeze in 45 minutes between work and rehearsal or on my lunch break or between activities, but today I had a bit more flexibility, so I decided to take a microadventure by trying a new route. Where Centre Street splits to South Street, I typically follow South, but today, I followed Centre, with the vague idea that I could reach some entrance of the Arboretum. I followed Centre out to the Arborway and crossed the big rotary in 4 pieces. It was breezy and cloudy and I ran uphill until I finally found the entrance I suspected I would. 

I entered the Arboretum and finally got a downhill stretch. So I enjoyed that for a while, ignoring a few side paths that were steep and gravelly. I found myself at the Bussey street entrance and rather than exiting and running through the meadow, I turned around and went back uphill a bit to the Beech Path, which was a steep incline on a dirt path. The path was heavily shaded by beech trees and families were walking and gazing out off the steepest lookout point over the greenery. 

The shade broke as the hill did and I leaned back on the sharp incline down, gravel spewing from both sides of my sneakers. I ran by a woman and her dog on her way down and a couple with their dog on their way up and emerged to the place where the ponds are. Children were playing with their families on the grass. I followed the path towards the main entrance where people were streaming in. This is what I love about the green spaces in JP-- there is such a diversity of people enjoying them. I saw young families, teenage friends, old couples, elderly friends, children pushing parents in wheelchairs, parents pushing children in strollers all soaking in the spring and the joy of being outdoors in the green and sunlight. I looped around into the wooded area that circles the pond which was solitary. Moments like that are my main favorites of running-- the alone-ness of it, the solitude. Where others seek out church, I seek out gravity, find solace in the music and the rhythm of my feet hitting the ground. It clears my mind and soothes my heart. 

Finally, I emerged from the woods and exited the Arboretum at the Forrest Hills exit and followed the street to the Southwest Corridor. I love all the Green Spaces in Jamaica Plain and running through them reminds me that even though I live in a pretty urban area (and I revel in that, as a City Mouse) it's never too far from nature and it's important to commune with that part of the world. 

While I ran through the Southwest path, a dog snapped at my leg as I passed by and caught my pant leg. His owner pulled him and he was easily shook, and I felt sad that my running made him upset. Then I passed a barrel-like French bulldog who lumbered along with a smile on his face. 

And then I came to the end of the path, sweaty and panting, the old knee throbbing a bit but my body pulsing with the energy of connection with the earth and myself. 

TOTAL DAY'S MILES: 30.38