This winter I was fortunate enough to have 2 full weeks of vacation. Yea to being a teacher!! Luckily this long, much needed break took me back home for some much needed relaxation time. One of the best parts about going home is being able to fall in love with running all over again. Not that I ever get burned out of running, it is just refreshing to be back to my old stomping grounds where I took some of my first runs.
The first morning I was home, I went out for my usual run. Back when I was growing up I would do this figure eight loop over and over again. I couldn’t tell you how many times I have ran this loop, probably way too many times. I do love this loop. It is super peaceful. We live out in the country so not many cars are driving by. It is pretty much you and the road. As I step out for my run, my mom’s 3 dogs all come with me just like the good ole days. If you were to drive by I think I must have been a funny sight to see, running on a country road with 3 dogs trailing behind. It was perfect and so incredible to be out on the bare roads running. It is almost as if I was meditating while I ran. I left the iPod behind and just enjoyed the sound of my shoe hitting the pavement and my breath.
After a few runs from home I ventured off to run at the high school I attended. I had heard that the school developed a cross country course. I had to check it out while I was in town. I winded in and out of the trail for several miles. I had no idea which way the trails went, but I enjoyed weaving in and out of all the twists and turns. I am pretty sure I ran the same loop about 6 times because I kept running right by this pond. However, overall running on this new course was so much fun! It makes me so excited to see how much my high school has grown in the past ten years. It means so much to have a cross country course on the campus. It seems as if the love for running is spreading and contagious now that my old high school finally has a course. Those lucky runners!!!
I am back in Arizona and I am ready to run hard. Over the next several months it will be time to take my running to the next level, and it is a little scary. However, going home for some time helped me to rebuild the confidence I need to propel myself through my upcoming endeavors. I am looking forward to this New Year and new team who will help me along the way.
