All Downhill From Here

You know you’re a financially challenged trail runner when you show up for your Tuesday weekly run in the same muddy, burred leggings and mitts you ran in on Sunday. Hey, at least I wore my street shoes last night.

The Zen quote (look, I remembered it again) was “Do not like. Do not dislike. Be as a little child.” Some folks questioned if little children liked or disliked, and I joked “It depends on what you made them for dinner.”

This Tuesday I got to run along the river in the dark with TWO guys, Tim and Duke. Relax, they’re as married as I am, but they were good company.

Duke is a newer runner, and moved up from Houston earlier this year. He wears a LOT of clothing to runs lately, and of course we Canadians tease him a little. Tonight was the first Tuesday run with snow on the ground, and the temperature hovered around freezing. Tim remarked at how “fresh” it was out, and I responded, with a teasing sideways look at Duke, “Yeah, I had to put on TWO shirts tonight!”. It’s not cold enough for my lined windbreaker yet, but I did wear mitts.

Duke defended himself good-naturedly from under his toque, jacket, windproof mitts and sweatpants: “Hey, I’ve only got on a short-sleeved t-shirt under here!”

We had a good run for about 48 minutes. Two walk breaks – one for Duke to tie his shoe and one at the top of the big Bridgeland/Crescent Heights hill. The conversation ranged from places we’d travelled, to what services Calgary’s homeless are offered, to the Zen quote, and how to prevent/deal with side stitches. My knee is still happy.