6.2-Unity Pass

I did it today.

I wondered if I still had it in me.

When I found out that Zumba toning-my regular Saturday morning indulgence-was cancelled, it was all the motivation I needed to at least try.

Unity Pass.

I realize that that makes no sense unless you also live out here in the middle of nowhere.

For the past couple of months I've been making my dear husband drop me off over on the other side of Unity Pass (the top of the hill that divides the little valley I live in from the other half of my city) so that I could just run home.

It's a decent hill up there. Enough that in the cold and while I was sick, I didn't think I'd have the gumption to run up it. So I made him drop me off on the other side of it so I could run down it! Good thinking, huh?

But this morning, it was beautiful out. The sun was shining, the sage smelled amazing as I was out running on the trail....it was just too good to stop.

Ok, well, I did have to stop about a mile and a half into it to use the outhouses at the field in the middle of nowhere (seriously, I'll post pictures sometime-playing fields in the middle of nowhere!).

But that was the only stop. And it meant that I didn't pee my pants, so it was ok.

I told myself that if the hill felt too steep, I'd just walk up it.

That if I was worn out when I got to the top I could walk part of the way home.

But once I was out a few miles in the sun and the light breeze and I found my groove.....*sigh*....it was a little piece of heaven. My little Sam might never be a running partner years in the future, and me may never even be able to be tucked in the jogging stroller for a run with mom. But for now, he makes the perfect running partner.

I made it to the top, turned around to come home, and ran.

There was one point where I played the find a marker game; I'll make it to that sign and then I'll walk for a bit. But then I passed the sign and still felt good. Then it was I'll make it to that big rock by the dirt road and then I'll walk for a bit.

And every time I hit my markers, I felt even better than I had before.

I did cut through the back of the school, so it made the distance a tad bit less, but I figured I'd better not push my luck.

I comfortably ran the whole thing.

My good old Saturday run. My how I've missed it over the last few months!

6.2 miles never felt so very very good.