Sunday, December 12, 2010

A (Snowy) Walk in the Park

Actually, it was a run in the park.  A 10-mile trail run in Shelby Bottoms this afternoon, in 24 degree weather with snow falling throughout the run.  It was a beautiful afternoon and a top 5 run of 2010 to be sure.  It's so rare that I actually get a chance to run in the snow, especially the falling snow.  It just makes the run all the more memorable. 

As many times as I've run the Cornelia Fort Trail over the years, I saw something today I've never seen before - deer!  It's always puzzled me that I've never seen deer on any of my trail runs.  Rabbits, owls, snakes, turtles and birds (lots of birds), but no deer.  Today, though, as I rounded a curve near the 5-mile turnaround point, I startled a doe and its fawn, and they bounded away in the snow as soon as they saw me.  It was really cool.

I hadn't been able to run for 6 days due to a recurring infection in my right big toe.  I was dying to get back out there and run, particurlarly since I've got a yearly mileage goal to meet and I don't have much margin for error, given that it's mid-December.  It was a win all around for me - a run in the snow, 10 miles, deer - what more could I ask for? 

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