The Green, Green Grass

Monday is rest day, and I can happily say that I've earned it. I'm sitting here eating lunch knowing that the hard running I put in on the weekend is now reaping benefits for me as I rest and repair. Saturday I did my long run, I'll have to measure it on the maps, and then Sunday I did a mid-distance run on tired legs. Today I'm trashed. My quads are so sore it's difficult to walk down the deck stairs into the yard. Mission accomplished!

I'm following a training plan closely now that will lead me up to the Ohlone 50k. I'm finding that having an exact plan is comforting. I feel on track and prepared. it's like a map that shows me exactly how to get there from here.

Saturday's run was gorgeous. Sunny, and mid-seventies, high sixties at the top of the mountain underneath the cool and moist redwood trees. I ran into another renegade dog walker at the top and two scowflaw road bikers of all things coming up Chinquapin trail. We exchanged "howdies" and they asked about my VFFs and I gave them the report of no rangers from here on out. In fact I've NEVER seen a ranger out on the trails at Huddart. Which is fine with me, but odd. Heck if I had that job you couldn't keep me inside.

On my way out of the woods and about 2 miles from my car I had a sudden revelation. It was be-a-utiful outside, right there. Warm moist air that smelled so fresh, gorgeous rolling fields of green grass dotted by orange flecks of California poppy, purple spikes of lupine and blue sprinklings of forget-me-nots. The sky a soothing, contrasting, turquoise blue. It was then that I realized, "Man, I hated winter. It was worse than I thought." Winter just ain't beautiful around here. It's like a wet, cool, gray gym sock laying over your neighborhood. No pretty bright white snow here. Just grey, and mud. Spring and summer are MUCH better.