8 miles, AP 7:56 Surprisingly, considering this headache I have been fighting, this was a great run for me. I woke up and felt fine (no headache). I started running having no idea what route or how long long I was going to run. I had a little over an hour that I could spend running but wasn't expecting to last more than 40 minutes. Needless to say, almost immediately I knew that I was going to enjoy running this morning. I can't help but wonder if the reason I felt so good was that I was expecting to feel so badly ... does that make sense? So when I didn't feel badly it felt twice as good because it was such a relief. I felt lighter and stronger than usual. So bizarre. Within two miles I decided to try and make it up Banded Hills Drive, which happens to be the road to the new airport. I've looked at it from a distance for quite some time and have even run up to where it begins once. It stands tall and looks daunting but beautiful. As I began running up it I immediately wished that Fly could have been there to tell me what the beautiful rock was that I was admiring. I assume the reason it is called Banded Hills is because there are these incredible white bands stratified into the rock. How does that happen? It almost looks like ribbon! The sun was coming up and it was AWESOME! In truth, it almost completely numbed the fatigue that was building up in my legs as I ran up up and up (I think the steepest portion is roughly .75 miles with about 400 feet of incline). When I reached the top more beauty awaited. The view was INCREDIBLE! I could see the whole valley, and just when I thought it couldn't get better I heard an airplane began to make it's way down the runway behind me ... faster, faster ... I look over my shoulder and see it take off in a westward direction. The whole moment felt beyond earthly. This makes the second time since I moved to St. George that I have felt this overwhelming feeling of being completely alive during an early morning run. I appreciated it today immensely. Sadly, the headache returned this afternoon. Boo! |