Work went less well than planned today, and that happens from time to time, but I made it through the day. I wandered home a short time before I had to go get Dyl, then drove up to the old track. If you've been to a Vinton County High School meet there, it is on top of a hill off of a highway, but there is nothing else around. Even more than that, with a new track around the football field, this one has become an abandoned memory for most of the people here. I remember this track so well. I ran there for the first two years of track when I was in school, then for the next four years we had the new track while I was in high school. I was always a fan of the old asphalt track. Something about it made it seem great, even though it was rather basic. There was an advantage, in my mind, because the asphalt made such a loud clicking noise when spikes hit, and a runner could learn to tell how close someone was by sound, more than by vision. I pulled in and dropped my phone by the 200 meter mark (as it was the closest to the car).

There is something special about being the only one out running. Being alone on the track, or being out earlier in the morning than anyone, makes it special. I began jogging the track and instantly felt a little sad. Most of that comes from remembering the talent I had as a young man when I ran well in the very same spot. After thinking of that, I immediately felt shame due to the way I have allowed myself to stop exercising for such a long time. Toward the end of this run, I felt strong, powerful, and confident. I found myself following the some of the same patterns that I have since I was a young kid, such as counting down by every 100 or 50 meters or doing math for no particular reason. I know that tomorrow morning will come early, and I'm hoping for a 10k bike ride before work at least, possibly 20k if time is going well. Will update more then...

- brad