Day 3204 —I might need to Buy a New Camera—

Even though driving took longer, I still wanted to run on a trail. Although I've run this trail many times before, it felt fresh. The cold made the ground frozen, so running by the river was faster. I thought of the double-chubb 50K and remembered falling there last year. I enjoyed the first half of my run, with the river and isolation. I only saw hikers on the hilly side. I had to slow down through rocks but glided down the hills. I fell twice, hitting my camera on big rocks, but was glad I didn't hurt my hand. Part of me was glad I was holding my camera, so I didn’t bust my hand open, but I laughed a little bit, thinking how I just had to put tape on this camera again to put the broken plastic back in place. 

Once I reached the end of the trail, I added an extra half-mile on my way back. I slowed down a bit but wasn't conscious of my pace as I was focused on getting a workout and enjoying being outdoors. I love the peacefulness that comes with being surrounded by tall trees and it always lifts my mood. On this run, I caught up with a couple walking with a dog, who hadn't noticed my approach. This wasn't new to me. Whenever I pass hikers going at a relaxed pace, they always seem surprised to see me and apologize for not hearing me or playfully say that I scared them.

I usually just say "sorry" and "excuse me" when people react to me passing them, so I can continue my run. This time, when the couple I caught up to seemed startled, they quickly regained composure and went to get their dog who was slightly ahead of them. The man recognized me and asked "Virtue?" It turned out to be Mike Slyman Jr, which was surprising since the last time I saw him he was wrestling in Little League and now he must be close to 30. The woman he was with thought I was my younger brother Jacob, which was amusing. She looked at me doubtfully when I asked "Do I know you?" This kind of encounter isn't uncommon.