I hitched a ride up to Vivan Park and the first 3 were gorgeous (all things green and tender along the trail after a night of spring rain), the next 4 it poured and I was so glad I was wearing my rain gear and baseball cap so the water just rolled off. It went pretty fast from Will's to the fire station because I decided to listen to music. I had to use the crawl space under one of the bridges because there was so much water on on of the walk ways I had to crawl around it. I was not about to get my shoes and socks wet at mile 12. I did that a few weeks ago and didn't like running in wet shoes. Then around mile 13 I ran through a 'walk' they were having along the trail for the National MS Society. Long runs bring me to a level of sensitivity and spirituality that is hard to escape. I cry at the end of races or during long runs because my defences are down and all the pain or frustration I've held at bay all week, year, or a lifetime, easily overflow the dam. So there were these signs along the trail with public education messages about the symptoms of MS and how many people are affected, and all kinds of facts about MS until I'd had so much information about MS I broke into tears. I stopped and bent over in the middle of the trail, in the middle of the other walkers, put my hands on my knees broke into tears for my sister. It was so ironic to be in the middle of my run and smitten by the realization that MS is forever more going to play a major role in the rest of my life. I just hope my sister's version of it won't be as severe as it sometimes can be. Needless to say I ran the rest of the run like I'd been hit in the stomach and also tired from running, but struggled along to the end. I didn't make bad time overal ( averaged 9:45' )and then I called my sister. | 