Day 4,396—the Mushroom House—

 

    I was so sleepy after my run yesterday. I was falling asleep sitting on the couch as my kids sang along to a record. I was determined to get the laundry done, empty the trash, and mow the lawn before I did anything, and for the most part, I was successful. I started running late, but just like I used to not be able to run until my lesson plans were written, on Sundays, I usually struggle to leave my house until the chores are done.

    I took an indirect route to the track and hoped the water had been turned on since last week, but alas, it had not. I first thought I would run to Blackburn Park to drink water after an hour, but when some other runners showed up, I didn’t want to leave until they left. One guy was going faster than me for a while, but he was breathing hard, and I just wondered how long he would last. They both finished about an hour and 20 minutes into this run, but I had already decided I wasn’t leaving until 2 hours, so I was stuck running on the track for another 40 minutes. I was wearing different shoes. I had read about this Nike pair, and I liked it. They were flat, light, and somewhat supportive. I was working on my form, but at the same time, I was trying to be understanding of my progress as I tried to both put up a lot of mileage and change how I was running. I knew that as long as I took small steps, the impact would be light, so I listened to how loud my steps were and tried to minimize them as much as possible.

    At mile 19, I left, headed to the pharmacy, and then to QT. I needed to buy some Sudafed, and I wanted more of those cashew, almond, vanilla chocolate things I had discovered a couple of weeks ago. I was hoping I could buy them in bulk, but everywhere I looked, the price was the same as they are at QT. I was tempted to buy more and try to save them before the next race, but I knew I would likely eat them myself, or my kids would.

    It was cold again, and the wind was biting. If I had to guess, it was at least 15 mph if not faster. On the track, one section was brutal until the turnaround. I took another picture of the mushroom house on the way home. I love it! I didn’t realize before that the house was made from the trunk of the tree. I want someone to carve something in the trunks of our trees! It seems like more and more people are doing it. It is such a cool way to preserve something of the tree. If money were no object, I would turn both of the trees in my front yard into giant, noble-looking bears. I have never loved bears, but they’re the kings of the wilderness here. I was listening to this book about Lewis and Clark, and the way they talk about the area where I live makes me appreciate it in a completely different way. The awe and respect that they had for this land were admirable. It makes me want to rewatch “The Revenant.”