Oddly enough that felt really, om, okay……..12K on a Monday morning…

I wish you could bottle this feeling, and drink that every day that I refuse to just get outside……last week was awful…yes, I was in sneeze and sniff city, but I only ran twice…..both good runs, but twice, because I wimped out..

This morning, threw on the shoes, and as soon as my autistic daughter’s respite folks arrived, hoped into the Kona, headed for the river valley..and even when I got to that parking lot, I wasn’t sure…..did I want to run???

I’m there, it took me about 25 minutes to get there, it’d be stupid to drive there and just turn around and drve home…so

adjusted my sock (for some reason, no matter the sock, that sock on my right foot bunches up when I’m driving….) threw my water belt with it’s camera around my waist, ad on my fave Brooks cap, my On Cloud Surfer shoes…and started off up the Queen E Hill….

This morning was a part of an ongoing issue…..I fooling around with my diet, but I still seem to be on the look out for public washrooms, and yes, trees……this morning was the usual with my first stop at the top of that hill….

I actually like that run up that hill at the start..it get’s my heart rate going, breathing a little heavy and I’m set for the rest of the run….it helps me set my pace……

I saw this and a lot of things along the route this morning…am not sure what it’s for

I like things like this……it takes mind off of the run…distracted running as opposed to running in the moment…

The art wasn’t as impressive as I thought…but you have to check it out right?

Distracting…and someone took the time to randomly add some art to the trail I guess is a good thing…

I cannot seem to figure out why my head feels uncomfortable with going long or far…..this morning I again had to trick myself into just keep going……..I got to my usual turn around spot at the Cloverdale Bridge…and well, hesistated for a minute, and kept going

The interesting thing about this route, I know what’s coming…..a choice

and yes, the hill is usually the winner…

It’s called the Seminary Hill (because there’s a seminary at the top)…it’s only 500 meters, there reallys isn’t a spot where it levels up, there’s a little of an increase in the grade near the top….but you’ve gotta go up right?

I did that good, and the joy of going up, eventually you get to go down hill….

and by the time I did that, and crossed my fave bridge…

This where I realized that this was going to be over 10K (which was kind of the goal..I began with 6K, then 10K, finished up with 12K….that’s the way my days go)…..and I love the wooden walkway….those actually always feel better than concrete or asphalt..

and I made a point of that this morning, if there was an option of going off road, I ded

I’m really happy with that run…and running the way I like to run…..without a set goal or route in mind….and enjoying the view

Found where they store the dragon boats….and learned something..

Along our river valley there are benches and marked off spots and parks in honor of certain people, I spotted this, this morning

So you get home, and you google and find out who Allan Stein was……and what he did…this is some of his work

Shooting Stars by Allan Stein – NFB

I’ve always done that…usually with my kids when they were younger……see the name, either remember it or take a picture, and when we get home, you see who it was…..and every so often, it turns out it someone you knew, or, sometimes, you see their picture whenyou google, and realize it’s someone you crossed paths with during a run……..

Had a weird thought this morning, and may lead to something…

I spend most of my life running the trails through the river valley..I know most of them, even though, I do occastionally find something new…..why not share that?…Air B&B has these experiences that tourists can sign up for……why don’t I create smething like that……introduce tourists, runners to the running in Edmonton experience?…..hmmmmm…..

I’m retired, retired a second time, still have a few other occupations on the go (run club, run clinics, and event guy) but why not try?……..

Will sleep on it…

Tomorrow, I’m supposed to bike, swim and run…..I may just pick one of those……but, yep, also marking the days down to getting even older….