Day 2,680 —Next Time I’ll Eat more than a Banana— with my PICTURE of a SIDE of a BUILDING in the DARK

I bought the Jaybird Vista earbuds. I have looked at them for the past couple of years; however, I was hesitant to buy them because my right ear has taken damage from wrestling. I have read nothing but good things about the Jaybird Vista, and they are made for runners and extreme athletes, so I thought it was worth a try. 

     It was about four miles into my run when I had to stop and try the other sizes for my right ear. I did this for maybe a mile. I started noticing how the earbuds were more uncomfortable the tighter they were. 

     I put them in my vest and kept moving. 

     I went to take my first picture and my battery was dead, so I am glad I brought my phone. 

     I went down Big Bend over by Wash U. 

     I went to Forest Park and got some water. And some guys talked to me about running. At first, they seemed impressed with the distance I was doing, but then they told me about someone they know who is more accomplished than me. That kind of stuff would have bothered me in my twenties, but now I just smile and nod. I am not competing with anyone anymore. They seemed nice.  

     I wanted to go to the Arch, but I ended up over in Tower Grove. There was a man sleeping on a bench next to the spot I sat and drank water. He had a container of juice next to him; he was sleeping in the shade.  

     I went to the Arch, and I was 22 miles in. I messaged my wife telling her she could track my location if she needs to, and I would be at least another hour. There was a lot of people taking pictures and smiling at the Arch. I would have taken a picture, but I had my phone in the back of my vest. Only one of the four water fountains I tried worked. I went down the steps and went right. 

     I ran along the river. It was busy. There were two boats docking to pick people up. I didn’t even know they were still doing that. There were also food trucks at the bottom of the steps. I had never gone this way before. I didn’t know how long this trail continued.

     It stopped only a couple miles from the steps. There was a water fountain, and a guy spray painting Yoda into the wall along the river. I have never seen someone tagging a place before. He didn’t not seem worried at all. It was around 11 a.m. on a Saturday. 

     After the path officially ends, you can keep running next to a paved path next to this massive wall that is filled with graffiti. If my camera was working, I would have taken some pictures. It is not a great area, but I was alone during most of my time on this path. Some trains moved by me, and I saw two older guys on skateboards. 

     Once the path ended, I took Broadway to Chippewa, and I took Chippewa all the way home. Chippewa starts out to be one of the toughest looking streets I have ever ran on. There were so many people in the street, just sitting around on steps or the sidewalk. I smiled and waved at everyone that looked at me. Nobody seemed too bothered by my presence. It is crazy how much the environment around a street can change in six miles.

     I needed water bad, so I tried the machines at Walmart that were outside, but one of the machines was out, and the other one wasn’t on. I did my best to walk some, and not push myself too hard. I could tell I was getting dehydrated, but I was almost home. 

     Maybe, next time I will remember to eat more than just a banana before I go for a long run.