Transformed

for as much fun as i had playing in the snow yesterday,  skiing at Solitude and skate skiing with the dogs in Park City, i had an equal amount of fun in a different way today out on Antelope Island.


my friend Sue and i put the running shoes down on the dirt, which is sometimes a difficult thing to find in the Springtime here in Salt Lake.  most of the trails are covered in mud or slushy snow, but the trails out on the island were smooth and dry.  best of all?  there's pretty much no one out there.  we had the place to ourselves after saying hello to my ultra-running friend Roger and a group of Vaqueros on horseback.

it was absolutely gorgeous out on the island.  we planned on running 8 to 10 miles, and ended up running just under 12.  it was 55 degrees, brilliant sunshine, and a light breeze was blowing.  the lake was shimmering below us.  there were bluebirds flitting through the grasslands as we made our way back up to the higher elevation.  buffaloes grazed on the fresh prairie grasses and lifted their heads to make certain we would not threaten them.  the moon rose above one of the peaks.

i haven't been able to run more than 4 or 5 miles comfortably for almost 6 months now, since my injuries to my hip and knee back in September of 2010.   but out on the island today, i definitely had a breakthrough.  Sue was patient with me as i stopped to stretch out my hip several times on the side of the trail.  we chatted along at a comfortable pace, and i was pleasantly surprised to learn that we had run faster than 4 miles per hour.


i was definitely worked by the end of the run, but i am feeling positive about the progress that i have made in getting healthy over the past few weeks, and what has gotten me to this point today.  skiing, ski touring, and skate skiing have definitely helped my get my strength back, and i am remarkably not having any hip or knee pain this evening, post-run.

i rewarded myself with french fries, a corn dog, and a chocolate ice cream cone after the run.  it was Sue's treat.  we went to the Iceberg drive-thru in Syracuse, and i actually took my time driving home in the new vehicle.  we had a near miss on the drive home:  a lid from the fry sauce took on a mind of its own and flipped out of Sue's hand, and under the seat.  thankfully, no upholstery was harmed in the making of this adventure:  the lid landed gooey-side up on the floor of the car.